


And Justice For All

by darkin520



Category: seaQuest
Genre: Adventure, Angst, Drama, F/M, Family, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Sci-Fi, Suspense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-29
Updated: 2016-02-29
Packaged: 2018-05-23 23:00:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 22
Words: 95,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6133139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkin520/pseuds/darkin520
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the wake of a terrorist threat, the seaQuest crew must help an underwater colony. But when things don't go as planned and Nathan is presumed dead, how will the crew survive? When it comes to light that he was merely a pawn in a diabolical game, can the crew save him and the future? First season. AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Halls Of Justice, Painted Green

**UEO Headquarters, Pearl Harbor**

"No, Frank, you can't do this," Bill Noyce insisted. "Distress call or no distress call, I don't agree."

General Frank Thomas crossed his arms and gave the admiral a glare. "This isn't something up for negotiation, Bill. Elysium colony put out a distress call, and-"

"They're in open territory," Bill replied.

"They're the target of a terrorist threat," General Thomas continued. "Considering _seaQuest is_ a peacekeeping vessel, I see no reason why they can't help them."

"It's dangerous."

"No more dangerous than dealing with a Serbo-Croat dictator."

Bill pursed his lips, knowing he was defeated.

The general sighed. "Look, I understand your concerns; I really do. But we're not talking about a colony in open territory. We're talking about human beings in danger. They sought us out. If we don't help them, they could die. We're taking the threat very seriously, and-"

Bill interrupted him again. "What do you know about this terrorist group?"

"Not much. They call themselves the Macronesian Demons."

Bill scoffed. "What does that even mean?"

The general shook his head. "Hell if I know. They're a small group out of Australia."

"Al Qaeda affiliated?"

The general shook his head. "Not this time. _That_ would be easy; at least we'd know what their motives are. I'm not quite sure what these guys want; neither does the rest of the brass. They don't have a lot of attacks under their belts. As far as I know, this is their first major threat. Led by a man by the name of Alexander Bourne. That's about all I've got, but you know in this day and age, all threats must be treated as though they're legitimate. They're threatening to take over the colony…and do Lord knows what else there."

"What about the colony?" Bill asked. "What are the people like?"

"It's a small community; they tend to keep to themselves. It's only a little over a thousand people, but they haven't done anything to provoke an attack. Look, we can stand around talking about this all day while those people are running out of time."

"We don't negotiate with terrorists."

"I'm not asking for negotiations. _SeaQuest_ has torpedoes for a reason, Bill."

"Nathan will never agree to it."

The general frowned and crossed his arms. "He will if I have anything to do with it. Are you going to talk to him or am I?"

"I'll handle it."

"Fine, have it your way. But don't think I won't step in if he gives you any lip."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

_**seaQuest,** _ **800 miles off the Southern coast of Australia**

"Good morning, Doctor," Nathan greeted, bumping into Kristin in the corridor. "Heading to the mess for breakfast?"

"Actually, no," Kristin replied. "Lucas and I have been working on a little experiment with Darwin, and it's getting to be crunch time. We have to finish by the end of the week."

Nathan frowned. "You're not going to eat breakfast?"

She smiled softly. "I had coffee and a muffin already; not to worry."

"I was just hoping to eat with you is all."

"Oh, well, I'm sure I can sacrifice twenty minutes for lunch; what do you say?"

"I say you have a deal," he told her, relieved. "We can discuss a time after the staff meeting."

She looked at her watch. "Oh, I'd forgotten that there was a staff meeting today."

"It is Monday," Nathan reminded her.

She nodded. "Well, I don't mean to be rude, but I really need to hurry. If you see Lucas, please tell him to head to the lab right away." She hurried off down the corridor, but called back, "I'll see you at the staff meeting."

"Sure thing," he muttered with a shake of his head. Since Kristin had sent Malcolm on his way a few weeks earlier, Nathan had been trying to have a little time alone with her. He wanted to speak with her seriously, but their work interfered. When she had a bit of free time, he couldn't get away from the bridge...and vice versa. He sighed and headed towards the mess, deciding it would happen when the time was right and not before.

He selected a breakfast sandwich and a coffee and looked around the room for a place to sit. He happened to see Lucas sitting at a table in the back and crossed the room to sit with him.

"Morning, kiddo," Nathan said cheerily as he sat.

Lucas smiled. "Morning."

"I hear you have a busy day ahead of you, which reminds me, the doctor wants you in the lab as soon as possible." He took a bite of his breakfast sandwich.

"Yeah, I know. We've been working on a language experiment with Darwin, but it's not exactly going as well as we'd hoped. If we don't finish it by the end of the week, the funding for it will be pulled; that means we'll need to move on to something else. The doc is dead set against that."

"As she should be." However, Nathan noticed the doubtful look Lucas was wearing. "You don't think so?"

Lucas shrugged. "I just think it might be too much pressure on Darwin. We've been working on it for nearly a month, and he hasn't gotten it. I think it's about time we throw in the towel."

"Well, be that as it may, I think you should admire the doctor's tenacity. She might prove you wrong, you know."

"Maybe," Lucas said, taking the last piece of orange off his plate and popping it into his mouth.

"I trust you'll listen to her," he said warningly.

"I've been a perfect angel so far," Lucas replied, holding his hands up. "Don't worry; I haven't told her what I really think."

"Good," Nathan said, giving his shoulder a squeeze. "Now I-" At that moment, Nathan's PAL unit beeped, cutting him off. He took it off of his belt and answered. "Bridger."

Lieutenant O'Neill's voice said, "Captain, you have an emergency phone call from Admiral Noyce."

"I'll take it in the science lab; I'm in the mess hall now. I'm on my way," Nathan replied. "Thank you, Mr. O'Neill."

"You're welcome, sir."

Nathan put his PAL unit away and looked at Lucas. "Well, change of plans. I'll walk with you to the lab?"

Both men took care of their trays and started toward the lab. Once there, Kristin greeted them both with a smile. "Lucas, I'm so glad you're here. Can you start programming this list into the vocoder?" She handed him a file folder.

"Sure thing," Lucas replied, giving Nathan a bit of an eye roll, which Kristin didn't see.

"Remember what I said," Nathan told him.

Lucas gave him a salute. "Aye, sir."

"See you at the staff meeting."

Lucas gave him a wave as he headed out of the lab towards the moon pool.

"Not very enthusiastic, is he?" Kristin noted worriedly.

"Did he say anything to you?"

She shook her head. "But I can tell he'd rather be doing something else," she said with a sigh. "I just feel like we're so close. I'm not giving up until the very last minute."

"And I wouldn't expect you to. Um, as much as I'd love to talk to you about this, I have another agenda, unfortunately. Do you mind if I used the vid-phone in your office? I've a call from the admiral, and since I was nearby…"

"Oh, go right ahead. The door's open. Everything all right?"

"I don't know yet; I guess we'll find out."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Nathan entered Kristin's office and closed the door behind him. He then hit the answer button on the vid-phone.

"It's about damn time, Nathan!" Bill said in annoyance.

"I was in the middle of breakfast," Nathan replied apologetically. "I was only a few minutes. Something's wrong?"

"We have a rather delicate situation on our hands, yes," Bill told him.

General Thomas stepped into the camera view. "And it'll be in your best interest not to argue, Captain!"

Bill shot him a glare. "You said you'd let me handle this, Frank."

"I wanted to be sure he knew where the orders were coming from, that's all." The general, however, obediently stepped out of the view of the camera once again.

Nathan sighed. If General Thomas was involved, this was definitely not good. "What's the situation?"

"We've received a distress call from the Elysium Underwater Colony; Elysium is located three hundred miles off the Western coast of Australia."

"That's open territory. We have no jurisdiction there."

"I did mention it was a delicate situation. And you're right; normally we wouldn't get involved, but they sought us out. They've received what we're considering to be a serious threat from a terrorist group, and they need our help."

General Thomas leaned over Bill's shoulder. "This is not up for discussion, Captain."

"What exactly do you want us to do?"

"You have torpedoes; use them," the general replied bluntly.

"You want us to hunt them down and kill them?"

"You're a smart man, Captain. You figure it out."

" _SeaQuest_ is a peacekeeping vessel, Frank," Nathan replied.

The general narrowed his eyes at him. "Which is exactly why we need _your_ boat."

"I'd rather see what we can do to help the colony," Nathan countered. "Isn't there another way?"

"We don't negotiate with terrorists, Nathan," Bill said gently. "You can't reason with them."

"I have strong convictions against this."

"You should know as well as I that there isn't always a place for morals in situations like this," General Thomas replied, a hint of anger in his voice.

Nathan shook his head. "There is always room for morals, sir, and there must be another way."

"You better not be thinking of putting the lives of your crew in danger, Nathan," Bill told him.

"Of course not, but murder is not necessarily the answer. We do that, we're only stooping to their level."

The general frowned. "I honestly don't care how you do it, but you make sure this colony is safe. But you remember that safety is the first priority here. If any of those colony members die…or any of your crew…those lives will be on you, you hear me?"

"Loud and clear," Nathan replied.

"I'm giving you twelve hours," the general stated. "If there is no progress on the situation whatsoever, we do things my way, understood?"

"Yes, General," Nathan replied through gritted teeth.

"Good luck, Nathan. Keep in touch," Bill told him, a hint of apology in his voice.

Nathan nodded. "I will." He then cut the link. "Damn it!" he muttered under his breath before opening the door.

Kristin was standing there, a sheepish look on her face. "I wasn't trying to eavesdrop. I just needed something out of my office, but I didn't want to interrupt. Did I hear yelling?"

"General Thomas gave me strict orders. Not that I need to listen to those orders exactly...but I don't feel like getting into an argument with him either."

"Oh, dear," she replied. "That bad?"

He nodded. "And we don't have much time to act." He glanced at the clock. "The staff meeting is getting moved up; we have work to do. Oh, and I'm sorry, but I'm going to need to borrow Lucas. See you in the ward room in half an hour." He then hurried off, leaving Kristin in his wake.

She sighed in frustration. "I guess my experiment will just have to wait after all."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

The senior staff assembled around the ward room table. The only two missing were the captain and Lucas.

Jonathan looked at Kristin. "It's not like the captain to be late. Do you have any idea what this is about?"

She shook her head. "He mentioned something about General Thomas."

"Oh, great," Ben replied. "We all know what happened the last time General Thomas gave orders."

Everyone nodded their heads.

"But it all worked out in the end," Kristin said after a few minutes. "Perhaps…perhaps it's not as bad as it seems."

"Did you see the look on the captain's face?" Ben asked. "We all know it's _worse_ than it seems."

At that moment, the ward room door opened, and Lucas and Nathan entered.

"My apologies for the delay, everyone," Nathan stated. "We don't have much time, so I'm going to cut to the chase." He motioned to Lucas, who brought up a picture of the outside of an underwater colony. "This is Elysium Colony. It's located just off the coast of Australia in open territory. Normally, we wouldn't get involved with them, but they've asked for our help. They've been threatened by a terrorist group known as the Macronesian Demons." He gave Lucas a nod. "You have the floor, Mr. Wolenczak."

Lucas hit a button and the picture changed to a young man with blonde hair. "This is Alexander Bourne. He's twenty-nine years old, Australian born, no pun intended; he started his group about a year and a half ago, but the UEO Counter-Terrorism Department really became interested in him a year ago when there was an incident at a political rally. Twelve people were killed when someone opened fire. Word is that the person who did it is a part of Bourne's group, but no one could find the weapon or the shooter. Because of lack of evidence, Bourne was released."

"What exactly is the stance of the group?" Jonathan asked.

"Basically, they're against UEO sanctions," Lucas explained. He then hit a button and another man appeared. "This is Armand Stassi, Bourne's right hand. He's thirty years old, also Australian born." He hit the button again. "This is Larry Deon."

"He looks as though he's your age," Kristin muttered, noting how young the man was.

"He's twenty-four, actually," Lucas replied. "And he's an American."

Tim raised an eyebrow. "How did he get involved with Bourne then?"

"I honestly couldn't find much about how they met," Lucas replied, "but Larry Deon is a business tycoon, and it seems that he and Bourne have the same agenda when it comes to the UEO. He basically does what Bourne tells him to do." He then changed the picture once again. "And finally, this is Mason Freeman, also an American; twenty-eight years old. He's Deon's bodyguard, if you will. He's supposed to be ruthless and isn't one to be messed with."

"So this is all we're dealing with? Four guys?" Ben said in disbelief.

Lucas smirked. "These are the main ones, yes, but Bourne is supposed to have followers all over Australia, possibly some in the USA as well."

"Long story short, Mr. Bourne's group has made a serious threat against the colony. They've threatened to go in and take it over, hold the inhabitants hostage. General Thomas has ordered us to stop it by any means necessary," Nathan stated.

"By any means necessary?" Katie asked. "You mean like Max Scullyi's submarine?"

Nathan sighed. "If Thomas has his way, yes, it's hunt and kill. But I have a different plan in mind, if you'd like to hear it. However, I want to warn you all, this could be very dangerous. I'll give you a few minutes to discuss it, if you'd like, but the general's only given us twelve hours." He looked at the clock. "And we've nearly lost one already."

The senior staff all exchanged glances with one another as Jonathan spoke up, "What's the plan, sir?"

"I want to form a rescue group, if we can. The colony members...they're scared. They might need supplies." He looked at Kristin. "They might need medical attention. I want to go in and try to talk to them. General Thomas wants us to go looking for Bourne. We don't even know if he's in the water or if his threat is legitimate. But if it is, our first priority is to save those people. Then we can do what's necessary with Bourne. What do you say?"

There were a few moments of silence before Jonathan spoke again, "I'm with you, sir."

"So am I," Ben echoed.

"Me, too," Katie said.

Everyone added their agreements to which Nathan smiled. "Thank you, all. I'd like to organize a small team first, and we can have a back-up team. The back-up team will handle the launches if we need them."

Jonathan raised his hand. "I'd like to be on the main team, sir."

"I was hoping you'd say that, Commander." He looked at Katie. "Which means I need you to take the bridge."

She nodded. "It'll be my pleasure."

"You'll set a course for Elysium colony right away, please; eighty knots. We need to get there as fast as we can."

"Aye, sir."

With that, Katie left the room while the rest of the staff deliberated. After a short time, they decided that the main team would consist of Nathan, Jonathan, Kristin, Tim, Chief Crocker, and Ben. The rest of the staff members were on the back-up team. "I want to thank you all once again. You all know what to do. I'll meet the rest of the rescue team in launch bay in about twenty minutes. You're all dismissed."

Everyone began to depart, save for Kristin and Lucas.

"Captain, I wanted to be on a team, too," Lucas told him.

Nathan smiled. "Lucas, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but this…this is really just too dangerous for you. You're a minor, and I'm responsible for you."

"I've gone on missions before," Lucas argued.

"I need you here, Lucas. I'm sorry, but I just can't put you in danger like that." He put his arm around the boy's shoulders.

"But you'll put yourself in it?"

"Lucas, I-"

"I'm afraid of what will happen," Lucas said quietly. "Captain, these guys…there's no telling what they could do."

"I know, kiddo, and I promise we'll be careful. But I can't let you go just because you're afraid about what might happen. If something happened to you, I'd never forgive myself. I really need to go speak with Chief Crocker, so I don't have time to argue with you. I'll see you tonight, I promise."

"But-" Lucas began as Nathan headed out the door.

Kristin took Lucas by the arm. "The captain's right, Lucas. It really is just too dangerous for you. I'll tell you what; I'll give you complete freedom on the experiment with Darwin while we're away."

"Oh, joy," he said sarcastically.

She sighed. "I know it's not exactly your idea of a good time, but it's all I can offer you."

"Are you scared?" he asked after a moment.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I haven't had time to think about it. All I know is there are a group of people who are in danger and need our help. I'm just trying to focus on them." She paused and really looked at him. "You're afraid?"

He nodded. "They're terrorists; they have no regard for human life. What if..."

"Oh, Lucas; I assure you, we'll be taking every precaution we can. You just have to try not to worry, okay?"

Lucas nodded. "Do me a favor?"

"Anything."

"Promise you'll take care of the captain for me?"

"I promise," she told him, giving him a tight hug. "Be good, okay?"

"Take care of yourself, too, Doc."

"I will." She gave him a smile and then she hurried off toward launch bay.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

_**seaQuest** _ **launch, MR-9; two hours later**

"Approaching the outskirts of Elysium Colony, Captain," Jonathan announced.

"Thank you, Commander." He looked at Tim. "You can inform them of our arrival, Lieutenant."

"Aye, sir."

He then approached Kristin. "You're awfully quiet," he noted.

She shrugged. "I'm just…mentally preparing myself, that's all."

"You're having second thoughts?"

She shook her head. "No, not at all. I know I could have easily recommended Joshua."

"And I would have understood."

She smiled softly. "I just…hope we know what we're getting into. I don't know what we'll find when we get there."

He gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Everything's going to be fine. We can handle it."

She nodded. _I hope you're right,_ she thought.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Elysium Colony**

Another twenty minutes later, the launch connected with the outer section of the colony. They were met by a tall man who looked to be in his mid-thirties with dark hair and eyes. "Thank you so much for coming to our rescue," he greeted. "My name is Anthony Wilcox, and I'm one of the representatives of the colony." He shook their hands as each of them introduced themselves.

"If you don't mind, Mr. Wilcox, I'd like to go on ahead and assess the situation first," Nathan told him. "Not that I don't trust you, but considering the circumstances, I need to make sure my team is safe. Therefore, I want to make sure there are no threats in the colony. If I could just have a few minutes with my team first."

Anthony nodded and walked a few feet away to give them privacy.

Nathan turned to the others.

"Nathan, I'm not sure I like this," Kristin whispered. "I thought we were all going in together."

Jonathan nodded in agreement. "Bourne's team could be inside as we speak."

"Which is _exactly_ why I want you all out here," Nathan replied. "I'm still responsible for each and every one of you. That's why I want to go on ahead, just to be sure."

"But, Nathan-" Kristin shook each

Nathan put his hands on her shoulders. "Don't argue, okay? I'll be right back. I promise."

Kristin sighed as Nathan walked towards Anthony, and the two entered through the main doorway of the colony.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

"I don't like this," Kristin announced a little while later. She'd been pacing nervously. "They've been gone too long."

Jonathan, Tim, Chief Crocker, and Ben exchanged glances.

"The doctor's right," Jonathan replied. "They've been gone for almost twenty minutes now."

"I think we should go in after them," Kristin said, starting toward the entrance.

"No, Doc, you can't." Crocker motioned toward the security keypad on the wall.

"Great," she muttered dryly. She looked at Jonathan. "Try your PAL unit."

Jonathan obliged, but all he got was static. "I think he's too far away."

"Something's not right," Kristin insisted worriedly. "I think-"

Suddenly, they all heard a noise; it sounded like rolling thunder in the distance, though it couldn't be that.

"What was that?" she asked.

"Oh, my God!" Jonathan cried. "Get down!"

"What?" Kristin asked. She started to turn around to see what he was looking at when he pushed her down, covering her with his own body.

The explosion that followed was deafening.


	2. Money Talking

**Elysium Colony**

Several minutes later, when he decided it was safe, Jonathan shifted his weight off of Kristin and looked down at her. "Are you all right?"

She was stunned, but she nodded. "The others?" she whispered.

He stood and raised his voice a little. "Everyone all right?"

A chorus of yeahs and yeses followed.

Kristin finally pushed herself up and looked around. She didn't quite understand how an explosion of that magnitude didn't breach the outer section…that was until she noticed it was enclosed and sealed off from the rest of the colony with glass at least several inches thick, a detail she'd missed before. She placed her hand on one of the walls. Not even the slightest crack or dent. She peered through the glass, trying to make out the lighted dome of the main part of the colony. She couldn't see anything now, however. The water was too clouded from the dust of the explosion. "Do you think the inside of the colony is safe?" she asked worriedly, not speaking to anyone in particular. "The captain?" Her heart sank at the thought.

Jonathan took out his PAL and tried Nathan's unit once again. "Captain…can you read me?"

_Static._

"Captain?" Jonathan tried again. He tapped on his PAL unit with his other hand as though it was going to help.

"No!" Kristin said. "It can't be…" The panic in her voice was evident.

Crocker put his hands on her shoulders. "Just calm down, Doc. We can't be jumping to conclusions yet. It doesn't mean anything."

At that moment, Jonathan's PAL beeped, causing them to jump a little.

Chief Crocker gave Kristin an "I told you so" look. She let out a sigh and turned her attention toward Jonathan, hoping to hear Nathan's voice on the other end.

"Ford," Jonathan said.

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear your voice," Katie replied.

"Likewise," Jonathan replied, trying to sound enthusiastic. "We were hoping you were the captain, though."

"You mean he isn't with you? I'd been trying to contact him myself as soon as we'd heard the explosion. What happened down there?"

"We're not exactly sure; we're trying to figure that out. We actually haven't been inside the colony yet. We're waiting for an affirmative from the captain before we proceed…but the explosion…"

There was a slight hesitation.

"What?"

"The colony…" Katie began. "It's gone. Where are you?"

"We're in the outer section. It's separated from the main colony…and apparently shatterproof." Then he had a sudden realization as Katie's words sunk in. "Wait…what do you mean _gone_?"

"I mean gone as in it's not there anymore. The explosion came from inside. You guys are all okay…aren't you?"

"Oh, my God," Kristin breathed, placing a hand over her mouth. Chief Crocker put his arms around her. Ben and Tim were speechless.

"No…we're not," Jonathan told her. "I…I don't know how to say this, but the captain was inside."

Katie breathed in sharply. "You…you're sure? Perhaps there was a launch…"

Jonathan sighed. "I don't think so," he said gravely.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

_**seaQuest** _

Chief Ortiz used the WSKRS to search through what was left of the rubble. No bodies were found. The colony was literally blown to smithereens…along with everyone and everything in it. What was left of the structure lay at the bottom of the ocean floor in bits and pieces. What had actually happened inside in the moments before the explosion remained a mystery.

The senior staff, minus Lucas, met around the ward room table immediately after the launch had returned. It was decided that Lucas shouldn't be told just yet.

"This is such a shock," Katie muttered, her voice trembling. She looked at the empty chair at the head of the table and let out a sigh. She wiped at her eyes with a tissue.

"You can say that again," Chief Crocker replied, placing an arm around her shoulders, his own eyes glistening with tears. "I can't believe it."

Quiet tears slid down Kristin's cheeks as she listened to the others' comments. They were all taking the news hard. When they'd woken up this morning, none of them ever expected this. A hand on her shoulder caused her to jump.

"I'm sorry," Jonathan muttered. He knelt next to her chair. "I was just noticing how quiet you were. Are you all right?"

She turned to look at him; even his eyes were red-rimmed, which she found surprising, showing how much Nathan had impacted each and every one of their lives. She nodded. "I'm fine."

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and stood in the front of the room. "I…I gathered you all here because…well, this is obviously not going to be easy for any of us. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but first things first; we need to inform the admiral. I, uh…I don't think I can make that call alone, so I was wondering if you'd mind if we did it together?"

No one uttered any protests, so Jonathan dialed the number and patiently. When the admiral answered, however, he wasn't alone.

"Commander," the admiral greeted. "This is a surprise." He noticed the senior staff in the background. "You all look as though someone died. Is everything all right?"

"You might want to remind that captain of yours that he's running out of time on the Bourne situation," the general barked.

Jonathan had to force himself not to give any snarky retorts. "We _were_ handling it, sir. Unfortunately, we…we ran into a bit of a snag." He took a deep breath and looked back at the rest of the senior staff.

Chief Crocker stood and placed a hand on Jonathan's shoulder in a gesture of support.

Jonathan gave him a grateful look and turned back to the screen. "The captain's idea was to organize a small group to go into the colony."

"Damn it. That's exactly what I said _not_ to do," the general said angrily.

"You knew full well that's what he was going to do anyway," Bill said to him. He turned back to the screen. "What type of snag, Jonathan? Where's Nathan?"

"He…he wanted to go on ahead. He wanted to be sure it was safe for the rest of us." Jonathan lowered his voice. "There was an accident."

For the first time, the admiral looked at the faces of the crew members behind Jonathan; he noticed tears. _Tears._ His voice caught in his throat. "What…" He cleared his throat. "What sort of accident?"

"Elysium Colony is…it's gone, sir. There was an explosion."

There was a long moment of silence as the words sunk in.

General Thomas' voice cut through it, however. "What about Bourne and his team?"

"I don't know, sir. We were never allowed inside the colony," Jonathan replied, quite shocked that he was more concerned about Bourne than the captain at this moment.

"If he'd have just done what I'd told him in the first place, this wouldn't have happened," Thomas stated. "We might not even be any closer to-"

Bill looked at him. "Frank, for once in your life, will you stop thinking about orders and protocol? You've just been informed one of our finest…and might I remind you, one of my best friends…is dead. Have a little respect. We can worry about Bourne later."

The general frowned; he wore a look of disapproval, but he turned towards the screen. "My apologies. I am sorry to hear of the unfortunate news. Captain Bridger was a great man." He turned back to Bill. "I'll leave you alone for now. I'll speak with you later." With that, he left the view of the camera, shutting the admiral's office door loudly behind him.

Bill gave the others a sympathetic look. "You…you're sure about the captain?"

Jonathan gave a nod. "I wish we weren't, but there really is no other explanation."

The admiral sighed wearily. "I'll organize an NCIS team to investigate; maybe they'll find something…and they'll be able to figure out what happened exactly. You'll take over command until the brass and I can discuss something more permanent. Set a course back to Pearl for now."

"Aye, sir."

"Try to stay strong and support one another for now," the admiral added. He then cut the link, the screen going black.

Jonathan turned to the others. "Thank you for that, everyone. As for us, business as usual as best as you can. I know it's going to be difficult, but if the captain were here…" He paused as a few sobs were heard. "If the captain were here, I'm sure he would expect nothing less. Also, I'm not sure how to go about informing the others about the news. Under the circumstances, this isn't something I want to blurt out over the PA. I…I know the doctor wanted to talk to Lucas personally. Would you all mind telling people as you see them?"

"I think we could do that," Ben replied, looking around the table at the others, who nodded in agreement.

"Very well. All dismissed."

Everyone started to file slowly out of the room; Kristin, however, made no attempt to get up yet. Jonathan approached her. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

She wiped at her eyes with her hands, turning to him, giving him an expectant look.

"You sure you're going to be able to handle talking to Lucas? If you think you can't do it-"

She held up a hand. "No, I'm fine," she assured him. "Everyone knows he loved Nathan like a father. I…I feel responsible…like I should be the one to tell him. I'll be fine. Um, Joshua is handling things for the moment, and afterwards-"

"I think right now, you shouldn't push yourselves. Of course, do what's required for the day. But when I said business should continue as usual, I didn't mean we had to ignore what just happened."

She nodded. "I have to admit, I'm not even thinking about anything else right now."

"I'm not going to raise a fuss if you take the rest of the day off," he told her.

"I'll see what happens," she replied.

"Well, I need to be on the bridge. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask." He gave her arm a gentle squeeze. "Hang in there."

She offered him a small smile. "You, too."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**UEO Headquarters, Pearl Harbor**

After leaving Bill's office, General Thomas knew he had to inform the secretary general of the situation right away. He barged into her office without knocking.

"Frank, what the hell is the meaning of this?" Andrea Dre chided angrily. "Is that how you treat your superior?"

"I'm sorry, but this is urgent. It's about the situation at Elysium Colony."

"Very well; just let me finish this e-mail." She typed quickly for a few minutes before turning back to him. "Okay, this better be good. Did Bridger handle the situation as you said he would?"

"I can't say; he's dead."

"What?"

"He organized a team to into the colony, and-"

"After you advised him not to?"

"You know how Bridger is…um, _was;_ he was never very military. He was always more worried about his morals than anything. Anyway, there was an explosion. Elysium Colony is no more."

"What about Bourne and his cohorts?" she asked.

He gave a shrug. "No one knows yet. As you can imagine, it's waterworks on that boat now. And Admiral Noyce is no better."

"Well, Nathan was a dear friend of his."

"I thought you should know what was going on."

She nodded. "I appreciate that. Don't worry; I'll handle this. You'd better think long and hard about getting another team to take Bourne down if he didn't perish in the explosion. We don't want our little secret getting out."

"Exactly my worry," he replied. "Don't worry; I'll handle it. Keep me informed."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**_seaQuest_ **

Kristin watched Jonathan leave the ward room and let out a heavy sigh. Her legs felt like lead as she started toward the science lab. She couldn't help but notice the empty feeling of the submarine now. Funny how the presence of one person could make the place feel like home. Knowing that Nathan would never grace the corridors of the _seaQuest_ again made it suddenly feel like nothing more than a hollow shell.

As she passed other members of the crew, she noticed somber and sympathetic looks. Word had apparently traveled fast, and she had the sudden fear that Lucas might have heard about it already. She'd only had about five minutes with Joshua before the meeting in the ward room; she'd told him the news and then asked him to keep Lucas sheltered from it. As she entered the lab, her eyes searched for him.

Joshua approached her immediately. "What did you find out?" he asked, his voice lowered.

She shook her head. "Not much. Um, business should continue as usual. The bare minimum today, though. I'm not going to force anyone to work if they don't want to."

"What about you?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I can't leave you alone. You're just as shaken up about it as I am."

"If you need the rest of the day, take it."

"I'll see," she replied. "Um, where's Lucas? He doesn't know, does he?"

He shook his head. "He's been out by the moon pool all day working with Darwin and that list you gave him. He's actually been having a good time, too. I checked on him earlier. He's very excited about what Darwin has learned."

She sighed. "So I get to kill his good mood. Wonderful," she said flatly.

"I think it's best he hear it from you; you two are close. It'll be fine."

"I hope so. I guess I'd better get it over with."

"Don't worry about us; we'll be fine. Good luck."

"Thanks, Joshua," she told him as she headed through the lab doors toward the moon pool. She stood at a distance, watching Lucas for a few minutes. Joshua was right; he looked so happy.

Lucas held up a black and white flashcard for Darwin to see. "Okay, smarty fins, you've been impressing me all day. What's this?"

"Pig," Darwin's voice sounded through the vocoder.

Lucas smiled. "Okay, you got that right." He wiggled his eyebrows. "Now extra credit if you can tell me what sound it says."

"Pig can't talk, not like Darwin talk," the dolphin answered.

Lucas laughed as he happened to notice Kristin's presence. "I think he's gotten too smart for his own good," he told her.

She walked to stand next to him and gave Darwin's snout a pat. "That is very impressive, Lucas. I'm so proud of you."

"I know I doubted you before about this, but I thought about what you said this morning and I realized you were right. I just kept at it, and I tried a little different approach with Darwin. It really only took me a few hours to teach him, once we got going. Now you can show your research university that we've done it…and maybe they'll be willing to give us funding for more projects with Darwin," he said, the excitement in his voice evident. "I can't wait to show the captain. Do you think he'll be impressed?"

Kristin hesitated. "I'm sure if the captain were here, he'd be very proud of you and Darwin both," she replied quietly.

Lucas didn't seem to notice the fact she was speaking in the past tense and glanced at the clock on the wall. "You're back earlier than I thought you'd be. Is the captain on the bridge? Do you think he'd have a free moment to see?"

"I don't think…" She sighed. "Lucas, we need to talk."

He studied the features of her face for a minute. His smile faded. "You look like you've been crying," he noted.

She reached over and shut the vocoder off. "Your room or mine?" she asked shakily.

"Mine's closer," he replied.

She put her arm around his shoulders and ushered him down the hall.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Lucas closed the door behind them as they entered his cabin. "Uh, have a seat," he told her.

She sat in the chair in front of his desk while he sat on his bunk.

"Doc, what's this about? I saw the way people look around here. I'm not blind, and you have tears in your eyes again. What's going on?"

It was true, tears had crept up again. She swallowed hard and choked them back, however. "Well, um, something awful happened at the colony."

"Someone got hurt?" he asked worriedly.

She nodded, her hand covering her mouth as she tried to stifle the sob that threatened to escape.

Lucas waited patiently for a few brief moments for her to compose herself.

She took a deep breath and willed herself to continue. "I'm sorry," she muttered. "This is... There's no easy way to say this. Um…when we arrived at the colony, the captain…he wanted to go on ahead to make sure it was safe. He…he didn't want anyone getting hurt." She let out a soft sob. "Lucas…there was an explosion. The captain…he's…gone."

"What? No! He can't…he promised."

"Lucas, it was an accident. No one planned for this." She tried to put her arms around him, but he pushed her away.

"Lucas, there wasn't anything anyone could do," she said, letting her tears flow freely now.

"He promised everything would be all right. You promised me you'd take care of him," he accused angrily.

"Lucas, I _tried_. So did Commander Ford. The captain insisted on going on ahead instead. There wasn't anything we could do. This isn't exactly the time to analyze it now. We can't go back and change it."

Lucas didn't answer her. Instead, he turned from her and leaned up against the aqua tubes, his face buried in his hands.

After a few minutes, Kristin placed a gentle hand on his shoulders. "Lucas, it's okay to be sad. We're all sad. And it's okay to cry. I'm here for you…for anything you need…day or night. If you'd like, I-"

"I want you to go," he told her, not bothering to look up.

"And it's okay to be angry. _I'm_ angry, too."

He turned to her then, tears streaming down his cheeks. "I don't need you to tell me what I should or shouldn't be feeling."

"Lucas, that's not what I meant. I…I want to help you. I-"

"I told you to leave."

"Lucas…please."

He walked to the door and opened it then. "Go."

Kristin sighed. "Lucas, I think… If the captain were here, he-"

"Well, it's a little late for that now, isn't it?" he said bitterly. "Now please leave!"

Kristin stepped through the door, but it didn't stop her from trying to talk some reason into him. "Lucas, I just want to help you," she offered weakly.

The only response she received, however, was the slamming of the door in her face.


	3. Power Wolves Beset Your Door

_**seaQuest** _

Kristin was shocked. She hadn't quite expected that. She suddenly felt at a loss of what to do next. She leaned up against the wall, her hand on her head. She tried to think of what Nathan would do if he were here, only she wasn't sure. She felt tears creep up, and although she tried to hold them back, she couldn't. She sobbed softly, placing her hand over her mouth to muffle the sounds.

She knew Lucas was going to take this hard, but she didn't anticipate him taking it out on her. Not only that, she was sure she handled it wrong. Nathan would have known exactly what to do. He always did when it came to Lucas. She wished he were there right now.

"That went well, didn't it?" a voice said from behind her.

She let out a low gasp; she hadn't realized anyone was there. She swallowed her tears and cleared her throat. "Mr. Krieg…how…how long have you been standing there?" she asked, not turning to make eye contact with him.

"Long enough," Ben replied, taking a few steps toward her.

She wiped the stray tears off her cheeks with her hands and then gave a light shrug. "Well, we should have expected this. I'm sure he'll come around. Now, if you'll excuse me, I really should be going. I have a ton of work to do." She started down the hall when he caught her arm.

"No, you don't."

"Ben, what the _hell_ do you think you're doing?" She finally turned to look at him. "Commander Ford did say business should continue as usual, did he not?" She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at him.

"He did, Doctor."

"Fine…then I would expect you have some work to do as well." She turned to leave, and she was relieved to find he didn't try to stop her again.

"Except medbay is that way, isn't it?"

She stopped in her tracks.

"At least last time I checked, that is," he added.

"Ben, please," she said quietly. "Let's just get to work and forget this."

He walked to stand behind her. "I'm not sure I can do that."

"Why not?"

Ben let out a sigh. "Well, I am supply and morale officer. Last I checked, we're full up on everything we need as far as supplies. So if business should continue as usual, I guess that only leaves me one option."

"You have a fair point," she muttered. "Very well; why don't you start down in engineering?"

Ben gave a light chuckle. "The point of the morale officer is to lift spirits where I'm _needed._ I think the engineering crew is fine for now. You, however-"

She turned back to him. "Do you always have to be so damned chipper all the time? This really isn't the time or the place. Now, please just-"

Ben put his hands on her shoulders. "No, Doc, I _won't_ just anything. I had a feeling things weren't going to go well here, so I thought I'd check…and it turns out I was right. Now you can stop pretending everything's fine here when it isn't."

She avoided his gaze. "You're right. _Nothing_ is fine now. There isn't a single soul on this boat that is fine. I just don't…" Her voice began to tremble as she began to lose control over her emotions again. "I…I can't…" She paused for a moment, taking a deep breath to calm herself. "I just… I keep asking myself what Nathan would do."

"And what's the answer?"

She shrugged and looked toward Lucas' closed door. "Whatever it is, it's not what _I'm_ doing."

"He shouldn't have treated you that way. I'll talk to him."

She shook her head. "Don't worry about it. He has every right to be angry and upset."

"But not at _you_ ," Ben replied. " _You_ don't deserve that."

"It doesn't really matter," she said as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't think he's going to open up to anyone, and we certainly have to expect that he would be feeling a thousand different emotions right now."

Ben put an arm around her shoulders. "That doesn't mean I can't try later…and is that really any different than how we're feeling?"

She simply shrugged.

He sighed. "Where is it you were really going?"

She shook her head. "I honestly don't even know. I…I should probably go to the lab, but I'm not sure I could bring myself to work…"

"How about I walk you to your room?"

"No, I shouldn't. I couldn't possibly. I really should-"

"If the captain were here, what would he tell you?" Ben asked.

"What?"

"If the captain were here, what would he tell you to do…right now?" he said again.

Her brow furrowed as she thought for a moment. "Well…if I really felt I couldn't work at the moment…he'd tell me not to…to go rest."

"Then maybe that's what you should do."

"I can't," she answered a little too quickly, automatically.

"Why not?"

She sighed. "I feel like I shouldn't," she offered weakly once again.

"Says who?" He shook his head. "You have an impeccable work ethic, but you're way too hard on yourself. You're allowed to take a little time off. That is what the commander said." He gently took her by the arm to lead her down the corridor.

"But I don't-"

Ben let go of her. "No buts, Doc. You need to take a step back." He took her arm again and led her to her room, this time without another word from her.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Ben opened the door and ushered her inside. "Now, sit down," he ordered gently.

Kristin sat down on the end of her bunk, but she didn't feel very comfortable.

"There…isn't that better?"

She shook her head and stood. "Look, Mr. Krieg. I appreciate what it is you're trying to do, but this really isn't a feasible time to-"

"To what? To grieve? To stop and take a breath? To just rest?" He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.

"I…"

"Look, the truth is that after the meeting, the commander sent me to keep an eye on you. I was actually thinking of doing it anyway, but he just gave me that push. He said if you were really fine to leave it alone…but we both know you're not really fine. You can keep trying to deny it, but I'm not blind. So whether you like it or not, you are going to rest for a little while. Now, I'm going to get you some tea from the mess, and you'd best be here when I get back…or _else_."

Whether he was being sincere or not, Kristin wasn't exactly sure, but she felt it was futile to argue. She simply gave a nod.

Ben softened and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I'll be right back," he said with a kind smile.

When the door closed shut, Kristin let out a frustrated sigh. She felt so lost and helpless, something she wasn't quite accustomed to. No, she wasn't always as optimistic as Ben, but she didn't normally have trouble seeing the silver lining within the clouds. Not this time, though.

She stood and walked over to her small desk. Normally, she kept it neat and tidy, but it was cluttered at the moment, mainly because of the work she and Lucas had been doing with Darwin. File folders and documents littered its surface. She decided now was as good a time as any to organize it. That should keep her mind occupied. She sat in the chair and started straightening out the papers and making neat stacks. She did that a few times over until she came across a photograph. She set the papers in her hand down and picked it up.

The photo had been taken the day they'd brought the Walker children to social services in Pearl Harbor. Katie was holding little Hope in her arms while Chief Crocker was standing next to her between the twins, Matthew and Brawley. Nathan had his arm around Zack's shoulders with Lucas standing next to Cleo, and Kristin herself was kneeling down next to Tony. They all looked so happy, even though they were sad to be saying goodbye. It had been bittersweet.

Kristin had still had her doubts about them staying together, but Nathan had been confident. He'd told her not to worry. One week later, they were placed in a foster home…all six of them together. Nathan had said, "I told you so." She smiled at the thought. Three months ago, she'd heard the foster family had started adoption proceedings. Nathan was always right about things like that. Well, usually. That hadn't been the case at Elysium Colony…

She felt tears sting her eyes. "Why did you have to do something so stupid?" she asked, looking at Nathan's smiling face. "Why couldn't you just listen to me? Why did you have to go now? We weren't ready to say goodbye." She paused for a moment, a sob escaping her throat. "We can't do this alone." She took a ragged breath. "I can't do this alone. I can't do any of this without you…"

She then allowed herself to break down completely, sobbing uncontrollably, putting her arms on her desk and burying her face in them.

Kristin didn't even know when Ben came back, but several minutes later, she felt his hand on her shoulder.

"Doc?"

She turned to him and allowed him to wrap his arms around her. She cried into his shoulder, and he cried with her. After a small eternity, Kristin's sobs subsided. Ben stood and grabbed a tissue from the box on her desk and then passed her the box. There were a few awkward moments of them blowing their noses and dabbing at their eyes.

"Katie was wrong about you," Kristin finally said, her voice still thick from the emotional purging. "You're not as hateful as you let on."

Ben chuckled lightly, even though he still had tears in his eyes. "She told you that?"

She nodded. "She told me what you'd said about her biological clock a while back. She needed a woman's opinion."

Ben's cheeks grew red. "I know that wasn't exactly one of my proudest moments. I did feel bad after that."

"She told me that, too. You don't always say the right thing…but you always make up for it in the end." She paused. "I, um…I guess you knew I needed to come here and bawl my eyes out?"

He nodded. "I knew that if you didn't, you were going to explode eventually. I knew you were holding back." He motioned to the table where he'd set the cup of hot tea. "Unfortunately, I think your tea is cold now."

She waved a hand. "That's all right; I'll just pop it in the microwave." She picked up the cup, walked to the microwave, set it inside, and pushed a few buttons.

"I…I know I'd said this time was for you, but I think I needed it just as much. The captain was like a father to me."

"I know."

There was another pregnant pause before Ben asked, "Did you want me to stay?"

She shook her head. "Not unless you want to. As for me, I feel like I should do something a little more productive. I'm not sure I'll go to the lab, but…" She pointed to her laptop. "…I'm sure I can find something else to do."

Ben nodded. "I actually feel a little better now. Um, as for Lucas…"

"I was thinking it might be best to wait for him…to let him come to us. I think the reason he got angry with me was that he felt pressured."

"Maybe…but what if he doesn't? I'd still like to try to speak with him. He and I are close. He listens to me."

She gave a nod. "I know. I was just…" She let out a sigh. "I'm no stranger to being a single parent. I raised Cynthia pretty much on my own…even when I _was_ married. Her father was more intent on building his political career than being a doting father. Oh, sure, he did give her attention when he was home. But as far as the school plays, the scout meetings, the dance classes, summer camp…that was all handled by me. After the divorce, nothing really changed there. I was always the more involved parent. Cynthia even pointed that out to me a few years back. She commended me, thanked me for always being there."

"That's what a parent is supposed to do," Ben pointed out. "She was just telling you she appreciated it."

"Yes, I know. But with Lucas…you know full well that Nathan and I basically took over the roles of his parents while he was here…only this time, I was the parent in the background. It wasn't that I was less involved exactly. He just had an easier time opening up to Nathan. And…and now I don't know what to do…how to get through to him." She felt tears start to sting again. "I'm not sure I can do a good job with him."

Ben put an arm around her shoulders. "Oh, Doc…you need to stop second-guessing yourself. I've seen you with Lucas. He loves you, and I know you love him."

She shook her head. "I'm not sure love is enough in this case…not if he won't talk to me."

"You and I both know anger doesn't last forever. He'll come around."

"I hope so…but please, don't force anything on him."

"I won't; I promise." He gave her a quick hug. "Just try not to worry. Get some rest, okay? I'll see you later."

"Thank you, Ben."

"Of course, Doc," he said as he left the room.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Against the doctor's better judgment, Ben decided to at least try Lucas' room. He figured the worst that could happen was that he'd get a door slammed in his face as well. He'd had worse than that done to him in the past; he wasn't worried.

He knocked three times and listened. He heard no footfalls, no attempts of anyone coming to open the door.

He tried again, knocking a little louder and trying four knocks this time. "Lucas? Are you in there? I was hoping I could talk to you."

He listened once again, hearing shuffling. That was promising.

Then the door finally opened and Lucas stood there, red-faced, swollen-cheeked, and puffy-eyed. He just stared at him.

"Can I come in?" Ben asked after a minute.

Lucas stepped aside to let Ben pass and then shut the door behind him.

"Look, I know what-" Ben began.

" _Don't_ ," Lucas said. "Don't you dare say you know what I'm going through, that you know how I feel."

Ben held up his hands. "Okay, I won't. That's not even what I was going to say. I was _going_ to say I know you're upset and angry."

Lucas turned his eyes away from him. "You don't know the half of it," he muttered. "Did _she_ send you?"

"No, _she_ didn't." There was a long pause before Ben finally spoke again. "Lucas, you're right. I couldn't possibly know what you're feeling."

Lucas looked at him.

"The rest of us could _never_ understand, right?" He was sure not to mask the sarcasm in his voice.

"That's not exactly what I meant," Lucas replied. "I-"

"But that's what you said to the doctor, isn't it?"

"I thought you said she didn't send you."

"She _didn't_ …but I felt _someone_ ought to talk some sense into you. You think you're the only one on this boat going through the loss and the pain?" he asked.

"No…of course not."

"Then why the _hell_ did think you had the right to treat the doctor the way you did?"

Lucas hung his head, not offering an answer.

"I'm waiting," Ben said after a minute. "Do you think the captain would have liked that?"

"No," he mumbled. "But you're not him, you know."

"What?"

"You're _not_ him," Lucas repeated a bit louder this time, making eye contact with him. "You don't need to come here and talk to me like you're the captain. No one could replace him. No one's _going_ to replace him."

"I'm _not_ trying to replace him, but I am trying to get you to think. When the doctor tried to comfort you, you pushed her away and treated her like yesterday's trash. You know how much that hurt her?"

Lucas shrugged. "I get it, and I'm sorry."

"I'm not the one you should be telling that to."

"I know," he said with a sigh. "I just… I need some time." He stood and turned, putting his hands on the aqua tubes, his reflection staring back at him. "I can't… I asked him not to go." His voice trembled.

"I know; I heard," Ben replied.

"I never got to say goodbye…" Lucas' voice was barely above a whisper.

Ben walked towards him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Lucas, I know. Look, I don't know why bad things happen to us sometimes…and I know what happened is the worst thing we could have imagined. But the important thing in all of this is to remember that we need to stick together, not push each other away. And that includes the doctor. She's a good person to have on your side, if you know what I mean."

Lucas nodded silently, not turning to look at him.

Ben gave his shoulder a squeeze. "You do it whenever you're ready; I know she's not going to push you. But you do need to talk to her."

"I will."

"Do you…want me to stay? To talk? I'm here if you need," he told him.

Lucas turned to him then. There were tears in his eyes, but he shook his head. "I think…I need some time alone."

Ben nodded. "Okay." He turned to leave when Lucas stopped him.

"Ben?"

"Yeah?" he asked, turning back to him.

"If I need anything, I'll let you know."

Ben smiled. "Good, I'm glad. See you later."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

After Ben had left, Kristin took her cup of tea out of the microwave and carried it to her desk with the best intentions of reading her e-mails, something she hadn't done yet that day. However, the minute she looked at her inbox and saw the score of messages, she suddenly felt overwhelmed. She sighed and opened the first message. It was from a colleague at her research university, Dr. Ellie Raymond, about the language experiment with Darwin. It was one of those 'if you don't have any success, we're going to have to pull the funding and move onto something else' kind of messages.

Kristin wanted to show her the success they'd had, only under the circumstances, she hadn't time to compile the data nor did she have the desire or the energy at the moment. She didn't think Lucas was in the mood either. She started composing a reply asking for an extension. But everything she typed sounded like a poor excuse; not only that, the words on the screen kept blurring.

It took her a brief second for her to realize she was crying again. She wiped her eyes with her hands and shut the computer down. She couldn't deal with it. She picked up her cup, walked over to her bunk, and sat down. And then she saw it: a note he had written down for her the other day. It simply read: _Don't forget the medical files._

Kristin shook her head. She and Nathan were supposed to be working on quarterly reports, the time of year when the UEO needed all the data of the medical emergencies of the crew over the past four and a half months. It was a boring, arduous process, actually. She'd hated doing it, and Nathan had known it. But he'd made the last report session rather fun; the two of them were supposed to meet in his quarters that evening, since this report was due to the brass by the end of the month. She picked up the note and felt her sadness overwhelm her again. Soft sobs wracked her body, and she buried her face in her pillow to muffle the sounds, eventually crying herself to sleep.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

When she awoke, she didn't know what time it was. She walked into her bathroom to freshen up a bit. Then she opened her cabin door, realizing it was later than she'd thought since the corridors were darkened, lit only by the nighttime running lights along the bottom of the wall. She realized she'd missed dinner and her stomach growled in protest since she hadn't eaten anything since that morning. She decided she ought to go to the galley and see what was in the refrigerator. She closed her door behind her and started on her way.

However, upon realizing she'd have to pass the captain's quarters, she stopped in her tracks. She then turned and realized she'd have to go the long way, past the science labs. That was probably better anyway, considering she felt the need to at least see how things were going there.

She took a deep breath as she came upon the moon pool area, a place where she and Nathan had several intimate conversations. However, upon turning the corner, she was surprised to see Lucas standing there, talking with Darwin.

"…and the truth is, he's just not coming back," Lucas said quietly. He patted Darwin's head gently. "You understand, don't you?"

"Bridger away. In dark," Darwin replied. "Lucas sad. Darwin sad."

"Yeah, I know, buddy. We're all sad, but Ben says to remember we still have each other."

"Lucas stay with Darwin. Bridger in dark."

Kristin carefully approached the moon pool, the blue light reflecting off of it casting eerie shadows on the wall.

Lucas noticed Darwin looking in her direction, and he turned to face her. "Hi."

"Hello," she said softly as she moved closer and leaned up against the side of the pool. "I wasn't sure how I was going to explain death to a dolphin."

Lucas reached over and shut the vocoder off. "Neither was I, but I think he understands."

Kristin reached over and pet Darwin on the snout. "We know he feels things as deeply as we do."

Lucas nodded. "Do you think he's going to be all right?"

"With time, I'm sure. I'm sure we all will be…eventually."

There was a long pause as the reflections of the water danced across their faces.

"I'm glad you're at least speaking to me," she finally said.

"Doc, about before, I didn't mean… I know you weren't… I'm just angry."

She waved a hand. "Lucas, it's all right. It's already forgotten. You don't need to explain."

He nodded but didn't speak.

There was a long moment of silence between them. After several minutes, Kristin moved a little closer to him, unsure if he wanted her to touch him or not. She carefully reached her hand towards his and gave it a gentle squeeze. To her relief, he didn't pull away…but he didn't squeeze her hand in return either.


	4. Hear Them Stalking

**Pearl Harbor, two days later**

"No, Nathan, please…don't go."

Kristin tossed and turned in the bed of her hotel room. They'd arrived in Pearl the day before without a hitch and would be there for at least a week. It was assumed the rest of the tour would continue normally after that, though none of the brass was telling them anything yet. All they knew was that they were there for the memorial service, though none of them minded the lull in their work at all under the circumstances.

"No…please, don't leave."

It had been fairly easy for Kristin to convince herself Nathan was just away at a conference somewhere. That had helped her get up in the morning, push through her day. And at least she wasn't on the verge of tears every waking minute of the day. Commander Ford had even complimented her on how well she'd been handling the disappearance.

No, those hadn't been his exact words. He'd used that _other_ 'D' word, only _that_ word was too permanent. _That_ meant there was absolutely no chance she'd ever see him again. She couldn't use that _other_ 'D' word herself. No, using 'disappearance' meant there was hope, and she needed to cling to that hope. That had helped her remain strong…especially for Lucas.

"No!" She awoke with a start as she relived the explosion once again. She took a few deep breaths to calm her pounding heart, tears stinging her eyes. She swallowed them and forced herself out of bed. She pulled the blinds back and looked out the window. It was still early, the sky a dull grey-blue and littered with dark clouds. Though it wasn't raining yet, it would be fitting that it would rain on this particular day.

It was a day she'd been dreading. No, today, she couldn't possibly pretend Nathan was away. She couldn't pretend he'd be back in just a few days. She knew everyone around her would say that awful 'D' word. She knew she'd end up falling apart. Reality would catch up with her.

A few bitter tears slid down her cheeks at the thought, and she wiped them away with the back of her hand. All she had to do was get through today…and then she could go back to pretending. She could go back to wearing that brave smile, and everyone would squeeze her shoulder and comment on how well she was handling it. That would make things easier, she told herself.

Ben had been a dear and had helped her keep an eye on Lucas since their talk by the moon pool. Lucas had been quiet and reserved around her still, something she'd expected, but whatever Ben had said to him had worked. He was at least still talking to her, and she was glad of that. She knew Nathan would want her to help Lucas get through this any way that she could. This one thought made everything she had been doing seem justified.

A few minutes later, a few light pinging noises cut through the silence of the room as raindrops spotted the window, as if the whole world was mourning for Nathan. She sighed and muttered, "I feel the exact same way." Thunder sounded in response, and the rain got harder. Kristin stood there for a few minutes longer and then turned away. She decided she needed to do something productive…anything to keep her mind off of the reality of the day, if even for a short while. She took out her laptop and started going through her messages.

She'd already lost her funding for Darwin's language experiment. Ellie had broken the news to her about it yesterday. Kristin hadn't felt as upset about it as she thought she would, though; neither did Lucas when she'd told him. He had just nodded and said, "We'll do something better next time." At least she didn't have reminders about the experiment funding being close to its deadline cluttering her inbox.

Her messages mostly consisted of scientific and medical journal updates, nothing terribly interesting and nothing she actually wanted to read at the moment. She started deleting messages, and after she'd gotten to message number seventy-five, she found a message from Doctor Neil Cooper. She'd met him at a medical conference she'd attended about four months ago. He worked in the UEO labs in Pearl.

They'd had a fascinating conversation about virology, which was one field Kristin wasn't as well-versed in as she'd like. That had come to light when the crew encountered the Liberté virus. Since then, she'd told herself she needed to learn more concerning the field of virology, just in case another unknown virus without an antidote ever came about again. Ever since she'd met Neil and told him about that desire, he'd been sending her all sorts of articles for her to read. He'd also encouraged her to visit the labs on her shore leave, something she hadn't taken him up on yet.

She hovered over the message with her cursor, debating on whether or not she should open it. If it were just a research article, she told herself she'd read it later. But it might be something else. The subject simply said: 'Something to Think About'. After another millisecond of debate, she opted to read it.

_Dear Kristin,_

_It's been a long time; too long, in fact. I know every time I ask you this, you turn me down. But we've had an increase in our work here, and two of my research assistants quit. I thought this would be a great hands-on learning experience for you. You could stay here as long as you wanted, and it would be a pleasure working with you. Let me know soon, please._

_Neil_

Kristin stared at the screen for several minutes. Had she received this message just a few days before, she'd type up a response letting Neil down easy. But so much had changed now. The thought of getting away did sound appealing. She rested her chin on her hand and sighed. No, she couldn't leave, even for a little while…could she? She had Lucas to worry about…though she hadn't asked him if he might want some time off for himself. Perhaps he'd like to see his own parents?

She frowned. Of course, she'd have to bring it up gently. Simply coming out and asking him might make him think she was trying to get rid of him, and that wasn't the case. And of course, there was the little matter of asking the brass for time off as well. Her eyebrows knitted together; all of this would need to wait until after the service…perhaps _days_ after the service. She did, however, type a response back.

_Dear Neil,_

_I can't give you a concrete answer just yet, but I am seriously thinking about it. I'll be in touch._

_Kristin_

She hit send and then continued deleting her other messages since there was nothing else of importance. By the time she had taken care of the last message, she noticed that the storm had passed, though a light drizzle continued to splash the windows. Apparently, the world hadn't mourned enough yet.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

An hour and a half later, Kristin was dressing for the occasion: black skirt, blouse, and jacket. She sighed, not particularly pleased with her outfit selection, though she hadn't much of a choice. In all the chaos, she never thought to go shopping for such an occasion, and she hadn't a lot of alternatives considering the fact she was living on a submarine.

Just as she was straightening her jacket, a gentle knock sounded at the door. "One moment, please," she called as she slipped on a pair of heels on her way to the door. She then opened it to see Ben, Katie, and Tim. "Good morning." She offered them a gentle smile and stepped aside for them to enter the room.

"We thought we'd all go over to the service together," Katie said.

"That sounds wonderful, but we'll have to pick up Lucas on the way." She looked at Ben. "Have you seen him yet this morning?"

Ben hesitated as he, Tim, and Katie shared a worried glance.

"Oh, no; what's wrong?" Kristin asked as her hand rose to her chest, noting the looks on the others' faces.

"Lucas sort of…ran off," Tim told her. "We tried to stop him."

"Ran off?" She looked from Ben to Katie to Tim and then back again. "Why didn't you come and tell me right away?"

"We thought you needed a break and that we could handle it," Ben replied. "He and I had talked last night before turning in; he seemed fine then. Then when I knocked on his door this morning, he said he changed his mind and wasn't going. I tried to talk him out of it, and he just stormed off. That was an hour ago. I thought he'd be back by now."

"Oh, dear," Kristin said under her breath, thinking quickly. "Well, I'm sure he didn't go far, but I'm going to have to go find him."

"We'll go with you," Katie offered.

But Kristin shook her head. "No, that's quite all right. I thank you kindly, but I think it's best I speak to him alone. I'll meet you at the service. I promise."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

With an umbrella in her hand, Kristin started off towards the base. It was only a block away, well within walking distance, even in the rain, and knowing Lucas, she had a hunch on where he might be. She walked past the buildings to the docks along the water. In the distance, she saw a familiar form sitting on the last dock, getting soaked by the rain; he was there with Darwin. She let out a sigh of relief and picked up her pace to get to him.

"How did you find me?" Lucas asked without turning around to face her.

"Lucky guess, I suppose." She walked to stand next to him. "Lucas, why are you out here in your suit in the rain? You're soaking wet."

He shrugged. "I'm fine. Darwin doesn't mind it."

"Yes, well, Darwin's not going to catch cold from being out in the rain all day. You, on the other hand…"

"I thought I could go through with it, but I can't," he said with a sigh.

"Go through with what?"

"Today." He stood and motioned to a section of the marina that had been roped off for the service. "Did you know that there's a casket?"

She raised an eyebrow as she looked in the direction where Lucas pointed. "No, I… Who told you that?"

"The admiral. He had called my room last night. He'd wanted to speak to me, make sure I was all right with everything. He told me about the casket he'd picked out, something he felt the captain would like." He shook his head. "It doesn't make sense. Everyone knows that casket is going to be empty. What is the point of burying an empty casket?"

She took a deep breath before she spoke. "Well, I suppose it's for closure."

He looked at her. "Do you really believe that? Is watching them bury an empty casket really going to help you?"

"Um…"

"I didn't think so," he replied. "It's not going to help me either. In fact, this whole service is… I just don't see the point. This is something the brass is doing for _them_ , not for us."

"Lucas, you don't really believe that, do you?"

"Come on, Doc; you know as well as I do the captain would never want this. He'd never want a huge ceremony."

She shook her head. "No, Lucas, I really _don't_ know what the captain would have wanted. We never spoke about what arrangements we'd want if the time ever came. And I think the brass is well-intentioned, even if what they're doing doesn't exactly make sense to us. You know that Admiral Noyce and Captain Bridger were friends; he'd want to do everything in his power to make sure Nathan was honored. That's what this service is for-to honor a man that we all loved. Not only that, it's to honor all those colony members who lost their lives. Don't you want to be there for that?"

"Well, the captain and I did have this talk a while back," Lucas answered, "and I know for a fact this isn't what he wanted. He…he'd told me he wanted to be cremated. He then wanted his close friends and family…seemingly the crew…to hold a vigil on his island, but he didn't want it to be sad. He wanted us to tell happy stories about him. And then he wanted us to take a boat ride out on the water and spread his ashes by moonlight with Chief Crocker leading a few rounds of 'Drunken Sailor'."

Kristin couldn't help but smile softly. "That does sound like Nathan." Her smile faded, however, as she looked towards the roped off area of the marina. "Why didn't you tell the admiral what you knew?"

"I tried, but he said it was too late. He told me he had to do what the secretary general wanted."

Kristin sighed. "Well, I suppose cancelling all this at the last minute would have been a bit difficult to pull off, wouldn't you think?"

"I can't believe you're defending him," Lucas replied, his brow furrowing.

"Lucas, I am not defending anyone. I'm just trying to explain to you-"

He held up a hand. "You don't need to explain anything to me. I get it." He turned from her and sat back down on the dock.

"You're going to stay out here then?"

"You catch on quick, don't you?"

"Lucas, I know you're upset about all this, but that doesn't give you the right to disrespect me."

He didn't answer her.

After a few minutes, she said, "Fine, have it your way then. I need to be getting back. I do wish you'd at least go back inside and change out of those wet clothes, but that's up to you." She turned and started to walk away when he stood.

"So that's it then?" he asked.

She turned back to him. "What?"

"You're just going to go to this service because the brass orders it? The doctor I knew would never let the brass order her around."

She walked back towards him. "Lucas, this has nothing to do with the brass or orders."

"I've already told you it does. This is to keep up appearances, and you know it."

"I'm not going to question anything right now. With everything going on, I-"

"I thought you were better than they are," he said with a shake of his head.

She dropped the umbrella on the dock and took hold of his shoulders. "Lucas, the reason I'm going to this service has nothing to do with the brass or the rest of the crew. This is something I _need._ I need to grieve. I need closure to move on with my life. If you want to stay out here, fine. I'm not forcing you to do anything you don't want to do. But please don't be angry with me for it." She searched his eyes for an answer.

After a few brief seconds, he gave a nod. "All right."

"Are you coming with me?" she asked hopefully.

He shook his head. "I just think someone ought to stay with Darwin. He needs closure too, and I think the captain would have wanted that. Just because I'm not going to the service doesn't mean I don't want to honor him…or all the others."

"Oh, Lucas, I know. You don't need to explain anything to me." She placed a hand on his cheek. "You do what you need, and I'll see you later."

Lucas bent over to pick up the umbrella; he handed it to her. "Fine, later."

She took it from him and watched him sit back down on the dock. She knew then she'd have to e-mail Neil later and tell him there was no way she could leave now. Lucas needed her. With that thought, she turned to walk back towards the other end of the marina. The others were expecting her.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

By the time she reached the area located behind the UEO headquarters, the rain had stopped. Ben was waiting for her at the entrance. "How did it go?" But then noticing she'd gotten wet from the rain, he added, "Doc, you're soaked."

She shrugged. "It's just a little water. I'll dry. It went better than I expected, actually."

"Only I can't help noticing that Lucas isn't here. I'm really sorry I let him-"

She waved off his apology. "No, there's no need for that. This is just… Lucas needs to deal with this in his own way, and that's what he's doing. He doesn't want to attend this service, so I'm not going to force him. I think the captain would do the same thing…don't you?"

"You're asking me?"

She smiled. "Right now, you're the only other person here Lucas seems to want to listen to. So, yes, I am asking you." Her smile faded, and her eyebrows knitted together in worry. "Do you think the captain would have done the same thing?"

"Probably. Maybe. I don't know."

She sighed.

Ben put an arm around her shoulders. "You need to stop worrying about that. You've never had a problem relating to Lucas before."

"Because _before,_ I wasn't alone."

Ben gave her a wink. "You're not alone. You've got me."

"Yes, and I do appreciate that. I just…"

"I know, Doc, but really, don't worry. You're doing fine." He gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Why don't we go sit with the others? They're saving our seats."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

As they neared the front, Kristin noticed there was a stage area with a podium and microphone; behind that was an organ. There were several large bouquets of flowers decorating the stage. The center of the stage appeared to be bare except for a casket stand; her heart sank. She was about to lean to her left to ask Jonathan if he knew about this casket business when a man she didn't recognize approached them-the memorial director, she assumed. He ushered Chief Crocker, Jonathan, Tim, Ben, and Miguel to the back.

Kristin felt a lump in her throat, assuming they were the pallbearers. She wondered then if Lucas had been asked…or if he hadn't…and guessed that might be a contributing factor as to why he was upset about this service. She made a mental note that she'd have to speak with him later when Secretary General Dre took the podium.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to honor the life of Nathan Hale Bridger and the men and women of Elysium Colony. Please, rise."

The organist began playing the 'Navy Hymn' as the procession began. Just as expected, the men, including Admiral Noyce, slowly began walking up the aisle, carrying a casket decorated with silver and gold naval scenes. A minister followed close behind, and when they reached the stage, placed the casket on the stand.

Lucas had been right, though. Seeing a casket and knowing it was empty really didn't help give her any closure whatsoever. In fact, Kristin didn't feel a shred of overwhelming sadness until she saw the admiral turn from the casket, tears streaming down his face. She'd never once seen him so overcome with emotion, and she couldn't help but feel the same way suddenly. Then when the minister began to speak, he said _that_ awful word.

"We're here to mourn the death of Nathan Bridger and all the members of Elysium Colony, all of whom were killed tragically just a few days ago."

Kristin hadn't meant to fall apart so quickly, but she suddenly felt a pained sob escape her throat. She put her hand over her mouth to muffle the sounds and attempted to swallow them…but to no avail. She felt Jonathan's arm go around her shoulders, and she allowed herself to bury her face in his shoulder for a few minutes until she was able to compose herself once again. She dabbed at her eyes, muttered a thank you, and pulled away once again.

"Are you sure you're all right now?" Jonathan asked with concern.

She offered him a weak smile and nodded. He put his hand over hers and gave it a squeeze as they both turned their attention back to the minister.

"Over the past couple of days, I've heard many wonderful things about Nathan. I've been told he was stubborn yet fair, a wonderful and dedicated military captain, and he cared about each and every single member of his crew." The minister paused for a few minutes. "And although I feel like I know a great deal about the type of man he was, I feel I cannot do him justice. Therefore, we have someone here who would like to speak on his behalf. Admiral, if you will, please?"

The admiral rose once again from where he'd been sitting, now composed. He took the podium and began softly, "I knew Nathan for-"His voice cracked, and he cleared his throat. "Excuse me." After a moment, he began again. "I knew Nathan for over thirty years. We'd met way back when at the academy…but it seems like yesterday. We'd roomed together, met our wives and got married just a few months apart; even our children were born the same year. I never expected to meet someone that I would admire so much." He paused for a moment, took a handkerchief, and wiped his eyes. He then continued, "After his wife passed, Nathan had cut ties with the world and everyone in it…including me. I…I wondered if I'd ever see my friend again. Then, well, a little project known as _seaQuest_ came to light, and I knew he had to captain it. It took a little coaxing, but…well, you all know what happened then."

Kristin felt her eyes brimming with tears as she heard soft sniffles around her.

"Being in the military, days like this happen. It's unfortunate, but they say it's the greatest honor to die for your country. The only problem is, I always thought I'd be the one going first." The admiral's voice shook with emotion. "I…I never wanted it to be this way. It wasn't supposed to be this way. Nathan, I hope…I know you're in a better place now, only I wish it were me. For you, it was too soon. I…I'll never forget you, my dear friend." The admiral then broke down in front of everyone, no longer able to hold his tears back.

Kristin couldn't control herself any longer either; she buried her face in her hands and sobbed softly as she heard others around her do the same. She felt Ben rub her back gently and whisper something to her, only she never really heard it.

The names of the fallen were then read off, though Kristin found it difficult to focus on that. Reality had set in, and all she wanted was to get away from it again, only she wasn't sure how.


	5. Soon You'll Please Their Appetite

Kristin was relieved when the service ended. As people began to rise from their seats, all she wanted to do was find the exit and get away from the crowd. She turned to walk down the aisle when she felt someone catch her arm. It was Ben.

"Where are you running off to so soon?" he asked.

"Oh, I just…it's a little stuffy. I need some air," she replied, looking back toward the line of people filing out of the area.

"You feeling okay?"

"I'm fine. I just need some air, that's all," she said again.

"All right. I'll come find you in a little while." He paused. "You are going to the cemetery, aren't you?"

"I…I don't think so. I should really stay with Lucas. You…you all go on ahead."

"You're sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I'll see you later." She gave his arm a gentle squeeze before turning once again. She then made a bee-line for the exit, not wanting to speak to anyone else. She pushed through the crowd and was relieved when she reached the exit.

She found the rest of the marina was just as crowded, however. The service guests assembled in small groups, talking quietly. She sighed and pushed past them, finding a vacant corner near one of the docks and away from the crowd.

Her eyes scanned the docks to where she had seen Lucas earlier; she was relieved to see he was still there. Now that she was alone, she suddenly felt as though she could breathe easier, though the overwhelming sadness she'd felt during the service still clung to her, a lump forming in her throat. She took several shaky breaths in an effort to compose herself; she wasn't sure if anyone would notice her shedding tears, but she didn't want the stares nor did she want any sort of comfort from people she hardly knew.

"There you are," she heard a familiar voice behind her say.

She shut her eyes tightly. _No, not Malcolm, of all people._ She bit her lip nervously and jumped slightly when she felt his hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry; am I interrupting something?" he asked. "I'd called your name back there, but you didn't seem to hear me."

She plastered a smile on her face and turned to face him then. "I just needed to get away for a bit. I wasn't expecting anyone to be looking for me. And I didn't…I wasn't expecting _you_ to be here."

"One of my best friends just died and you expect me not to be here?" Malcolm scoffed.

Kristin's smile faded. "That's not exactly what I meant."

Malcolm softened. "No…I know. It was just a little joke. You should know how I am by now."

Kristin gave a slight nod and then turned her attention back to the water. "I meant that I wasn't sure you'd be able to leave Caesar. How is he?"

"Oh, he's doing wonderfully. He's learned so much just in the short month we've been together. You really should see him." He paused. "I…I really wish you would have called after…"

"I thought you and Caesar should have time to bond," she replied quietly, "and I didn't want to get in the way of that. And besides, I didn't want you to get the wrong idea about us." She kept her eyes fixed on the water, not wanting to look him in the eye. "That goes both ways, you know. You could have just as easily contacted me."

There was a long, pregnant pause before Malcolm spoke again. "You thought you were pretty clever, didn't you?"

She turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"Well, it took me a while to figure it out, considering the first week or so, I barely had any time to myself. But once I got a routine down with Caesar, I was finally able to hear myself think again." He smiled softly at his own joke. "And you know what I kept asking myself? Why?"

"Malcolm, don't-"

"I kept asking myself what happened between us…why you would send me away. And then it dawned on me."

"I'd already told you my work was on the _seaQuest_ ," Kristin stated. "There's nothing mysterious about that." She turned away from him again.

"Oh, come on, Kristin; you had a good time on my island. You loved working with the dolphins…and I thought we made a pretty good team together, don't you?"

She gave a shrug. "Perhaps, but-"

"So I asked myself why…if you were happy…would you want to walk away from that…walk away from me."

"Malcolm, please…do we really need to do this now? This isn't exactly the best time." She turned to face him again. "It was lovely to see you, but I really should go find Lucas. I'm very happy that you and Caesar are bonding, and I wish you the best of luck. Perhaps we'll speak soon." She turned to walk away, hoping he wouldn't say anything more.

"I just don't know why you couldn't have told me the truth," he called after her.

She stopped in her tracks and turned back to him. "What?"

He walked to where she was standing and put his hands on her shoulders. "Why didn't you just tell me you were in love with someone else?"

She shook her head. "That isn't…" She took her hands and gently removed his from her; she then crossed her arms over her chest. "You're sorely mistaken. I just…I knew you'd ask me to choose between you and the _seaQuest_ eventually, and I…I just couldn't do that. I knew one or both of us would end up hurt in the end, and I thought we ought to break ties before either of us got too attached. End of story."

"Because you weren't in love with _me_ ," Malcolm insisted.

"Malcolm, I need to… I care for you, yes, but it takes me a bit longer to fall in love with someone."

He sighed. "Nathan always did have a way of charming the ladies. Did you know that I dated Carol first? A blind date; neither of us really had a good time. I introduced her to Nathan, and that was history."

"I don't think I understand," she said, her eyebrows knitting together.

"Everyone loved him."

Kristin turned back to the water again. "It was no secret we all loved Nathan. Every one of us cared for him."

Malcolm moved to stand next to her and whispered quietly, "Yeah, I can see that. It's written all over your face." And after a beat, he added, "Why didn't you just tell me you were in love with him?"

Her breath caught in her throat, realizing she'd been discovered. "Malcolm, I…"

"He didn't know, did he?"

She shook her head, unable to face him as that wretched lump in her throat grew larger and her eyes filled with tears. Her hand rose to her mouth to muffle the soft cries that escaped.

Malcolm carefully placed his hands on her trembling shoulders. When she didn't pull away, he turned her to him and wrapped her in a hug. "I didn't mean…I wasn't trying to upset you."

She nodded her head against his shoulder. "I know," she said through her tears. "I just can't… I never thought…"

"I know," he told her, rubbing small circles on her back to calm her. "It came as a shock to all of us."

She took a few shaky breaths to calm herself. She pulled away from him gently and wiped the stray tears from her cheeks. "You…you know, he was jealous of you…with me," she choked out.

Malcolm laughed slightly. "He told you that?"

"Well, no; he wouldn't admit it, but he'd made it perfectly clear he wasn't very happy about me going to work on your island." She paused and took another deep breath. "That's when I knew I had to let you go. I…I had feelings for Nathan before you and I had started to become close, only I never thought they could be a possibility…that was until I found him giving me a lecture on sea deck."

"So he was pleased to see me go?"

"I think it helped ease his mind, yes…only I didn't tell him how I felt then either...and…and now I'll never have that chance."

Malcolm put his arm around her shoulders. "Please, don't cry. If I know Nathan, I'm sure he already knew."

"Perhaps, but I can't help thinking there are about a million things I would have done differently had I known what was going to happen."

"You know what you need? A vacation. Why don't you come to my island for a few days, get away from all this?" He held up his hands. "I promise, no funny business. I'd let you have the east wing all to yourself."

She smiled through her tears. "As appealing as that does sound, I really can't. Lucas isn't having a very easy time with this, and I don't think… I feel like I can't leave him. I don't think he'd fare well if I did, and I feel like I owe it to Nathan to look after him. I'd actually gotten an offer from a friend of mine to work with him here in Pearl for a little while. I was going to take him up on his offer, speak with the admiral and take a little time off…but with Lucas…I don't think I should." She turned her attention back to the dock where the young man was sitting.

Malcolm followed her gaze. "You could bring Lucas with you. You know he loves the dolphins, and I'd bet he'd love to see Caesar again."

"I appreciate what you're trying to do, but Lucas isn't going to leave Darwin right now," she replied with a sigh.

"Have you asked him?"

"What?" she asked, turning back to face him once again.

"If you're feeling the need to get away from all this, isn't it possible Lucas is too?"

"I don't-"

Malcolm took her hands in his. "New plan. Talk to the UEO and get that time off…and take Lucas with you. I have a condo right here in Pearl that I never use. It's all yours if you want it."

"Malcolm, I…I don't know what to say," she replied, looking back towards Lucas' form in the distance.

"Just say you'll think about it," he said. "I think it'll do the both of you a world of good."

Kristin gave a nod. "All right; I'll think about it."

"Good. I'm only in town for the next hour, but you know how to get a hold of me." He placed a kiss to her forehead. "You call me if you need anything, day or night."

She wrapped her arms around him in response. "I don't know how to thank you."

"It's the least I could do," he replied, returning the hug. Nathan would want me to look after you. Take care of yourself, Kristin."

"You too, Malcolm." She gave his hand a squeeze and she then turned to walk back down the dock.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

As she neared Lucas, she was relieved to see he had at least done what she'd asked and changed out of his wet suit.

"I thought you'd be going to the burial with the others?" he asked when he saw her walk towards him.

She shook her head. "No, I think I'd rather be here with you." She slipped off her shoes and sat down on the dock next to him.

"With me?" he asked, his brow furrowing.

She offered him a smile and put an arm around his shoulder. "Of course. Besides; you were right. Seeing that casket…it really didn't help me with any of this."

"I'm sorry."

She waved a hand. "Oh, it's not your fault. It was…it was a nice service, but I couldn't see it as being something the captain would have wanted." She paused for a moment. "Lucas, you're not upset about…did the admiral ask you if you wanted to be a pallbearer? Is that why you didn't want to attend the service?"

"No, I mean, he did ask me, don't worry. I just…I wasn't interested. Since I knew it wasn't what the captain wanted, I couldn't bring myself… It felt like a lie."

"I just wanted to check." She paused and motioned towards Darwin. "So did you two have a good time?"

Lucas shrugged. "I tried playing with him, but his heart doesn't seem to be in it."

"Well, he's just as sad as we are. He just needs time," she replied, giving Darwin's nose a gentle pat to which the dolphin squeaked and clicked in response. "I think he'll be fine, though." She thought for a moment. "You know, you've been out with him all day. What do you say you and I go across the street to the café there and get us some lunch?"

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "You're actually hungry?"

"Well, no, not really," she admitted, "but neither one of us is doing ourselves any favors by not eating." She stood and held out her hand to help him up. "It'll just be for a little while and then you can come back to sit with him if you'd like. Please?"

Lucas thought for a brief moment and then took her hand.

"Thank you," she said with a smile as she helped him and slipped on her shoes again. The two of them then walked across the street and walked inside.

The inside was small, but cheery. The walls were painted a sunshiny yellow and there were pictures of flowers everywhere. The smell of coffee and other delicious smells of whatever they were cooking in the kitchen wafted through the air.

The hostess, an older woman with dark hair and twinkling brown eyes, greeted them and showed them to a booth.

As she hurried off to get them some drinks, Kristin looked at the young man sitting across from her. "Now you order whatever you like. It's my treat."

Lucas smiled softly. "You don't need to do that…pay for my meal, I mean. I have money."

"Save that and buy something for yourself. This is something I want to do. No arguing, all right?"

He nodded after a minute and glanced down at his menu.

Kristin eyed him for another moment and then began to survey the menu in front of her, trying to decide what she'd like. Unfortunately, everything Malcolm had said to her weighed on her mind and prevented her from being able to concentrate. She set the menu down on the table and stared at him again.

Lucas noticed and looked up. "What?"

"Lucas…I… I'd like to ask you something, but I…I don't want you to take it the wrong way," she said, nervously wringing her hands.

Lucas set his menu down and reached across the table. "I know we've had a few tiffs, but that doesn't mean we can't talk."

She sighed. "I know…I…"

"What is it?"

She took a deep breath. "With the captain...gone, I was thinking…I'd like to take some time off…"

Lucas frowned. "You…you want to leave me?"

Kristin shook her head. "No, not at all. That's why I was hoping you'd come with me." She paused for a moment, searching his eyes for an answer. "It…it would only be for a little while. A week? Maybe two. I just…I think I need some time away from everything, and I think maybe you could use that too."

Lucas looked back down at his menu, not offering an answer.

"Of…of course, if you'd rather stay on _seaQuest_ , that's fine. It's perfectly all right with me…whatever you'd like to do," she added. She gave his hand a squeeze. "Well, um, perhaps we should order. You take all the time you need to think about it." She then pulled her hand away and went back to looking through her menu.

"It's not that I don't want to go," Lucas said after a moment.

Kristin looked up. "Lucas, you don't need to explain."

"No, I mean…what about Darwin? I don't know if I could leave him," he replied, looking out the window towards the docks.

Kristin looked in the same direction. "Oh, I see." She looked at him. "But you know, I'd already told you he'd be fine with time; you'll still be able to visit him until the _seaQuest_ ships out again. And Darwin knows what a vacation is. If you explain to him you'll be back soon-"

"That's what the captain told us," Lucas said quietly, "and look how well that turned out."

Kristin sighed. "You don't need to come with me if you don't want to. I never said you had to. You're not going to have a problem if I go alone, are you?"

"Are…are you going to come back?"

"Oh, Lucas, of course I will. I'm going to be staying right here in Pearl," she assured him.

"I just…with the captain gone, I…there're not a lot of people left I can count on," Lucas replied, his voice trembling.

The lump in Kristin's throat returned at his words, and she had to blink back tears as she spoke with a strained voice. "Lucas, I'm not going to leave you for good; I promise." She reached across the table and gave his hand a squeeze. "I wouldn't dream of it."

He smiled and returned the gesture. "Thanks, Doc."

"Of course, sweetheart." She took her napkin and gently dabbed at her eyes. "Um, what do you say we forget this nonsense for a bit and just have a nice, quiet lunch, hm?"

Lucas nodded. "Sounds good."

The two ordered shortly thereafter and made small talk during the meal.

Right before they were ready to pay and leave, Lucas said, "Doc…do you think if we talked to Ben, he'd take care of Darwin for me?"

Kristin smiled. "I'm sure he would. So, are you saying you're going to come with me?"

Lucas nodded. "Yeah, I think it'll be good for us. Do you think the admiral will allow it?"

She shrugged. "I don't see why not. I was going to try to see him later. You want to come with me?"

"Is it all right if I don't? I'd rather spend a little more time with Darwin, explain to him what's going to happen."

She nodded. "Just don't go too far, all right?"

"I promise. I'll see you at dinner," he told her as he turned to leave.

"Sounds like a plan," she called to him as she paid the bill.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

After leaving the café, the first thing Kristin did was go back to the hotel to change into something more comfortable. Walking about in heels unless she had to was not her idea of a good time. After changing into a pair of jeans, a T-shirt, and a pair of tennis shoes, she began to wonder if the others might have returned from the cemetery yet. That would mean the admiral would have some free time, too, she hoped.

No, the original plan was not to talk to the admiral for another day or two, but now that Lucas had agreed and Malcolm offered his condo, she was more than ready to get away for a while. Besides, it would probably be better to get it out in the open now. She nodded, as if justifying it to herself. She glanced at the clock. She and Lucas had been at lunch for over an hour, so it was quite possible the burial would be finished by now.

She debated giving the admiral's office a call, but she opted against it. She decided to just take a walk back to his office. If he wasn't back yet, then she'd wait. She made her way back outside and started towards the marina once again.

This time, she was relieved to find the marina was quiet; there were no signs of any of the memorial service guests. The roped off area had even been cleaned up already.

She glanced toward the parking lot; there were cars there, so she felt like it was a good sign, though she had no idea which car belong to the admiral. She pushed the door open and started walking down the long corridor. The admiral's office was located at the end of the hall.

As she got closer, she heard his voice, so she felt relieved; her relief quickly turned to panic, however, when she realized the talking was quite loud…more like yelling

"No, Nathan would never allow that!" she heard Bill say.

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, Nathan isn't here anymore!" General Thomas countered, his tone matching the admiral's. "That child should not be aboard the _seaQuest._ Without Nathan around to control him, who knows what kind of trouble he could cause?"

"He's not a wild animal," Bill replied. "And he's the best computer analyst we've got."

"We can find another. I want Wolenczak off the boat. I've already spoken with the secretary general."

"How could you do that, Frank?"

Kristin swallowed hard. This obviously didn't sound good. She'd never consider barging into the admiral's office, especially when he was in the middle of a 'meeting', but she thought she might be able to help…and the door was open.

She knocked gently on the door frame, and both men turned to see her.

"Kristin?" Bill said.

"I…I'm sorry for interrupting, but I couldn't help overhearing the conversation." She walked closer to them and eyed the general. "Lucas will not cause any trouble whatsoever, I assure you."

"I'd like to believe that, but he's really too much of a security risk; I've heard he's nearly been killed…more than once. If anything happens to him-"

"His father is well aware of the dangers that we face, and we've kept him alive this long," Kristin interrupted, her arms crossed over her chest. "I'm sure we can manage for the rest of the tour."

"But his father entrusted Nathan Bridger with his care, and Nathan is no longer with us," the general bellowed. "And I am not about to argue with a science officer, someone who has no military jurisdiction whatsoever!"

Kristin bit the inside of her cheek to prevent herself from saying anything horribly nasty, even though she was thinking it.

"I think what the doctor is saying is that Lucas is a valuable part of her science team," the admiral offered. "And Lucas was on the boat before Nathan even decided to captain it."

Kristin nodded, finding her voice again. She was sure to be a bit calmer when she spoke, hoping the general would follow suit. "We need Lucas to stay right where he is. I'll keep an eye on him. How about we make a deal?"

The general raised an eyebrow. "What kind of deal?"

"For the first two weeks _seaQuest_ is back on tour, Lucas and I stay off the boat. We have an opportunity to help out a colleague of mine in the labs here. It's valuable research that will be very beneficial to problems we've encountered in the past. Then you let Lucas back on a trial basis. If in a month's time, you feel he's not working out, I'll personally explain to him myself why he needs to leave," she said. "What do you say?"

The admiral took her arm. "Kristin, are you sure about this?"

"Yes, I am very sure. You know as well as I do Lucas won't give us any trouble," she whispered.

"And who's going to take your place while you're away?" the general asked. "We can't just let the CMO leave whenever she'd like." He looked at Bill.

Bill sighed. "Science personnel are allowed just as much shore leave as the military, and she's only taken a week all year. Doctor Levin can handle things until she comes back."

The general nodded. "Very well. I've heard the labs are short-handed."

"So you'll accept?" Kristin asked the general.

"Yes, but if you or Wolenczak make one false move-"

Kristin held up a hand. "You have my word."

The general turned to Bill. "I suppose this discussion is over then. I'll explain it to Secretary Dre; don't worry." He then gave them both a nod and left the room.

Bill let out a breath. "He is the most frustrating man sometimes. I guess I should thank you for coming by when you did. I know we haven't gotten much of a chance to talk since…"

"I know…" she replied quietly.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Bill asked after a moment.

"I just think…after everything…I need some time. Lucas does, too. I…it hasn't been very easy."

"I understand. It's still quite a shock. You're holding up all right?"

She offered him a smile. "As well as can be expected." Then seeing the worried look he was giving her, she added, "I'm fine, really."

"If you need anything while you're away, don't hesitate to call. I'm not very far away."

"Thank you. I appreciate that."

"You'll use it if you need?"

"I promise. I'll keep in touch."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Somewhere in Australia**

Nathan slowly came to, coughing and choking on the dust of the dirt floor he was lying on. He tried to push himself up, but his head throbbed and the room spun. His hand instinctively rose to his forehead, as though it were going to ease the pain somehow. He shut his eyes and took several deep breaths, the pain lessening to a dull ache.

He opened his eyes again as the room he was in slowly came into focus. He couldn't see much since it was dark, save for a small window letting in a bit of pale light on the stone wall. There was a door with bars on it, which he was sure was locked. He didn't have the energy to attempt to get up and open it anyway.

He struggled to remember exactly what had happened, how he got there. The last thing he remembered was the colony and… _oh, no_. His heart sank as he remembered the explosion.

Just then, the door opened, the light from the hallway temporarily blinding Nathan so that he couldn't tell who it was. That was until he heard the figure speak.

"Well, well, well, I'm glad to see you've finally woken up," Bourne hissed in his ear as he knelt beside him. "And just how are you feeling?"

"Like hell," Nathan mumbled.

Bourne clicked his tongue. "Poor baby. That's to be expected, though. It happens to everyone in the beginning. It wears off in a week or so."

"What do you mean?" Nathan asked, trying to force himself up once again, but again, his throbbing head prevented it. He lay in a pitiful heap on the floor as he heard Bourne laugh quietly.

"The great Nathan Bridger," he mocked.

Suddenly, Nathan felt him take his arm and wrap a tourniquet around it. He tried to pull away, but Bourne placed a tight grip on his arm and Nathan was too weak to fight him.

"Now, now; you've been so good. Don't start fighting it now. We've only just begun."

"B-begun what?" Nathan stammered as he felt the poke of a needle. "What…what the _hell_ are you doing to me?"

"Oh, I'm just playing God. But then, you know all about that, don't you?"


	6. They Devour

**Pearl Harbor**

It wasn't until she walked outside that Kristin realized exactly what she had done. Oh, it wasn't that she didn't want to get away. That was the very reason why she was leaving, but she suddenly realized she'd be living with a teenager. _Alone. For two weeks_. Oh, sure, things were going well between Lucas and her now, but what if that changed? What if he became angry again? What if he wouldn't speak to her? Several 'what ifs' bombarded her now. She took a deep breath in an effort to rid herself of the worries when she heard a familiar voice.

"You look like a deer caught in headlights," Malcolm said as he approached her. "It didn't go well?"

"On the contrary, it actually did. Well, as well as can be expected anyway," she replied. "But I thought you were leaving town?"

"Change of plans. I thought I ought to stick around, just in case. That way I could hand you the keys in person." He dug in his pocket and handed her a set of keys and a card with an address written on it. "I unfortunately won't be able to give you the grand tour."

She waved a hand. "Oh, you've done so much for me already. I really don't know how to thank you."

"That smile on your face is enough," he answered. He put an arm around her shoulders. "But why did it fade so quickly? I thought you wanted to get away."

"I…I do. I'm just…" She sighed and shook her head. "It's…it's nothing."

"It certainly _looks_ like something, but I'm not going to force you. Are you headed back to your hotel?"

"Yes…it's the Hilton; just a block away."

Malcolm offered his arm. "Well, at least let me walk you back."

Kristin hesitated for a brief moment. "You…you don't need to feel obligated, you know."

"I don't," he insisted. "I'm doing this because I care about you, okay? Don't argue, please."

She relented with a quiet apology, accepting his arm then.

The two walked in silence for a few minutes before Malcolm asked, "So when do you think you'll be leaving the hotel?"

"I'm not quite sure; probably not until tomorrow at least. I need to talk to Lucas and the rest of the senior staff, and I need to call Dr. Cooper."

"Lucas isn't going with you after all?"

"No, he is, actually. I should thank you for that. You…you were right… But he didn't know for sure if the admiral would allow us to have the time off, and I…I'm not even sure how I'm going to tell the rest of the crew."

"You think they won't like it?"

"No…I just…I think they're going to wish I wouldn't go, that's all," she replied. "With Nathan no longer being with us, I'm not sure they're going to be comfortable with the idea."

Malcolm stopped walking and put his hands on her shoulders. "I think you're worrying over nothing. If they care about you, and I know they do, they'll know you're doing what you need. And you will have Lucas."

She nodded and looked towards the docks.

"You're worried about him?" Malcolm guessed.

"What if I've forgotten how to handle a teenager?"

Malcolm laughed slightly. "Aren't you the one who suggested I take care of a child, one who could barely communicate at first, by myself?"

She gave a silent nod.

"And look how well that turned out. I…I was scared to death, you know, but if I can handle that, I know you're going to be fine. You and Lucas already have a good relationship."

"Well, we did; things are a little strained now because of everything."

"That's to be expected," Malcolm replied. "You're both hurting, but I think that's going to help you both in the long run, spending a little time away from everything."

"Perhaps…"

"You're going to be fine, I know it. Strained does not mean broken."

She smiled softly. "When in the world did you become so wise?"

"Shocking, isn't it?" he said with a laugh. "Well, as you know, having someone else depend on you changes the way you look at the world."

She nodded and looked into his eyes. "You really think I'm worrying over nothing?"

"Yeah, I think so. In all the time I've known you, I've never known you to shy away from anything. And if you can handle a dictator, I'm sure you can handle Lucas." He put his hand under her chin and lifted gently. "If you need anything while you're staying in Pearl, you give me a call, okay? Day or night, I don't care."

"I will; I promise." She hugged him then and laid her head on his shoulder. "Thank you for being here when I need you."

"Always," he whispered in her ear as he returned the hug.

Kristin felt herself become choked up again, but the last thing she wanted to do at the moment was sob on Malcolm's shoulder. She swallowed hard and blinked back the tears that filled her eyes. She then pulled away and cleared her throat. "Um, well…I suppose we should get back. I…I have a lot to do."

"Of course," he replied. "Just don't forget to take some time for yourself. You don't want to run yourself down."

"I promise."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

General Thomas knocked on the secretary general's office door and waited for to respond. When he heard a, "Come in," he opened the door and stepped inside. "Well, I-" He stopped short when he realized she was on the vid-phone.

She motioned with her hand for him to be quiet and motioned to the chair for him to have a seat. She had the screen turned towards her, so he couldn't be sure of whom she was speaking to. "I do appreciate your call. We'll be in touch." She cut the link and turned to the general expectantly, her hands folded on the desk in front of her. "How did it go?"

"Um, well, not exactly as planned."

She gave a slight laugh. "As if I didn't see that one coming a mile away."

"What?"

"Well, I did tell you that I didn't expect Bill to actually be keen on taking Wolenczak off the boat," she replied. She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back in her chair. "So is he going to be pounding on my door any minute?"

Frank shook his head. "No, I, uh…made a deal of sorts."

"A deal? Enlighten me, please."

"Well, Doctor Westphalen barged in; she was apparently on her way to the admiral herself, and-"

"Yes, I know," Secretary Dre interrupted.

"You do?"

She smiled. "Continue, please…and then we'll get to that."

"Well, she apparently wanted a bit of time off to help deal with the loss of the captain, and she offered to take the Wolenczak kid with her. She then said that she'd promise to keep him in line and out of trouble and that if he does anything to jeopardize missions or what have you, he'd be off the boat. So I agreed to that."

She raised an eyebrow but didn't speak.

Frank suddenly became nervous at the secretary general's reaction. He wasn't quite sure if she was pleased or not. "You…you said it yourself Noyce wouldn't agree to it, and you were right. It wasn't going well. But that doctor, she claims she'll watch him like Nathan did. I…I never did understand why they allowed that child on the boat in the first place."

"Well, that _child_ was allowed on the boat because Doctor Wolenczak gave the UEO a substantial donation, and that _child_ is also good at what he does. I'd told you it didn't matter to me whether he was on the boat or not; _you_ were the one who was so adamant about him not being there."

"I-"

She stood and turned her back to him, retrieving a file folder from a cabinet. "So what exactly does Doctor Westphalen want to do with her time off?"

"I thought you said you already knew."

She turned to him and offered a smile, only it didn't appear to be a kind one; her icy blue eyes appeared to bore straight into his brown ones, causing a slight shiver to run down the general's back. "I want to hear it from you," she said.

"Well, she's going to be working in the labs, helping out a colleague, she told me."

"You are aware, General, that we have several labs in various parts of the world, do you not?"

"Yes, but…"

"And you know never thought to ask which lab she was going to be working at?"

"She told me it's right here in Pearl." The general cleared his throat. "Is…is that a problem."

She tossed the file down on the desk in front of him. "Actually, it is."

"What are these?" he asked as he opened up the folder.

"Security clearance papers for Doctor Kristin Westphalen, required several months ago from Doctor Neil Cooper. Surely that name should ring a bell."

"I…I didn't realize…"

She laughed quietly. "Of course you didn't, which is why if I want something done, I need to do it myself. You're just lucky I'm one step ahead of you."

The general read the papers over for a few minutes and then closed the folder again. "I know how it looks, but it doesn't necessarily mean anything. She's only going to be interested in the science aspect. She's not going to put two and two together."

"You're sure about that?" Dre asked, raising a brow.

General Thomas didn't answer.

"Frankly, I'm not worried about Lucas Wolenczak, but you'd better hope and pray Doctor Westphalen doesn't stick her nose in where it doesn't belong. And if she does," she said pointing a finger at his chest, " _you'll_ be the one taking the fall."

He nodded. "I understand, Madam Secretary."

"Oh, Frank, are you really going to leave it up to fate?" she asked with a sigh. "You figure out a way to handle this, you hear me?"

He nodded. "Loud and clear."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Once they reached the hotel, Malcolm said his goodbyes and went on his way, leaving Kristin alone in the lobby. She stood there for a moment, trying to decide who to speak with first. Lucas was no longer out by the docks, which she decided was probably a good thing. Perhaps he was having a little fun with the others. She decided she probably ought to speak with him first and go from there. Then they could tell the rest of the senior staff at dinner. And she'd give Neil a call later to tell him the good news. She gave a nod, justifying her plan to herself as she made her way towards the elevator.

Once upstairs, she walked down the corridor, somewhat relieved that she didn't happen to see any of the other crew members. She didn't want to have to explain anything to them yet, and she felt it best if she and Lucas talked to them all together. Even though Malcolm had told her not to worry, she was still a bit nervous at how they'd receive the news. She sighed and made her way towards Lucas' room, knocking gently on the door.

A few seconds later, it opened.

"I'm glad to see you finally came inside," she said gently. "Can I come in?"

He stepped aside and allowed her to pass. "Yeah, well, Ben and the others were going to go down to the pool, and they said I should go too. I guess it would be okay to have a little fun, right?"

"You're asking me?" she asked as she placed a hand to her chest. "Lucas, you don't need to answer to anyone. If you want to go swimming, that's not for anyone to judge. Do whatever you like."

"That's…that's not exactly what I meant." He paused for a minute as he moved to sit down on the bed. "I've never really had anyone close to me die before…not that I can remember, anyway. My grandfather died when I was really little, but I don't remember it." His blue eyes glistened with fresh tears when he caught her gaze. "I…I'm not sure what's appropriate. How…how should I act?"

Kristin sat down next to him and put her arm around his shoulders. "Oh, Lucas, there's no right or wrong. You just...do what you feel you should do."

"You mean it's okay…to have fun?"

"Of course it is. If…if the captain were here right now, what do you think he'd say to you?"

He shrugged. "I don't really know."

She raised an eyebrow. "Really? I find that hard to believe."

"Fine, if he were here, he'd probably tell me to go have a little fun...that I've been working too hard."

She nodded and ran a hand through his hair. "Yes, he probably would. Does that make you feel better?"

He shrugged. "A little, I guess."

"Well," she replied, still absentmindedly running a hand through his hair, "perhaps this will help cheer you up. The admiral agreed to our time off."

"He did?"

"Yes, and we can leave as early as tomorrow, I've decided. Did…did I tell you I spoke with Malcolm earlier?"

Lucas shook his head. "I don't think so."

"Well, he's letting us use his condo here. It's right on the beach. That should be nice, shouldn't it?"

"It sounds great. How…how's Caesar?"

She smiled. "He's doing quite well. Perhaps we could all get together on our time off. Malcolm did say he'd love to see us again."

"That'd be awesome," he replied. He then wrapped his arms around her. "Thanks for the chat."

She returned the hug. "You're always welcome. I…I guess I'll leave you so you can meet the others. I need to make a few arrangements before tomorrow anyway." She stood to leave but then turned back to him. "Oh, and one other thing. Please don't mention this to any of the crew. I…I thought we'd talk to them tonight at dinner, okay?"

"Sounds good; see you then."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

When Kristin returned to her room, she decided she ought to tell Neil the good news…in person. She dialed his office number, hoping he'd be in.

A few moments later, Neil's smiling face appeared on the screen. Kristin noticed he looked a little older than the last time she'd seen him, his brown hair having little flecks of grey through it now. He took off his black-framed glasses and set them on the table in front of him, his blue-green eyes sparkling. "Kristin, to what do I owe the pleasure? I was very happy to receive your e-mail, by the way."

"Yes, well, you've only been hounding me about working with you for months," she teased. "How have you been?"

"Oh, you know; same old, same old," he said with a shrug. He paused. "I heard about the _seaQuest's_ captain. I am so sorry."

She gave a nod, not wanting to dwell on it at the moment. "Thank you," she said quietly. "Um, well, that's exactly the reason I wanted to get away for a bit, so you're in luck. You have me for two weeks…and I found you some extra help as well."

Neil's smile faded. "Extra help?"

"Yes, Lucas Wolenczak. Now, I don't want you to be worried about his age. He might be young at seventeen, but he's the computer analyst aboard the boat, and he's…he's having a hard time with the situation, so I thought the time off would be good for him. He'll do whatever you ask him," she explained. But then, noticing the worried look on Neil's face, she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Kristin, I…I'm not sure how to tell you this. I guess I never explained to you, but then, I never thought it would be an issue. You do know my work is highly classified, don't you? Well, your friend, Lucas…he doesn't have the proper security clearance."

"Oh, is that all?" Kristin said. "I can take care of that. We're right here by the base; I can speak with the admiral or Secretary Dre and-"

"You don't understand; it takes at least a month for those papers to clear."

"Oh, dear," she muttered. But then she had a thought. "But how do _I_ have the proper security clearance?"

"Well, I took the liberty of handling that after the first time I'd asked you. I had hoped you'd eventually take me up on my offer, and I wanted to be ready. The papers are good for a year, so…I was just covering my bases. If I'd known about Lucas, I would have taken care of his too. It's nothing personal, you see; my hands are just tied."

She sighed. "Well, that's my fault. I…I hadn't realized. Why exactly is it classified?"

"It's just that it's an experimental program. I'll explain more when you start. When are you starting, by the way?"

"Well, I thought perhaps tomorrow, but now, I'm going to have to make some changes because of Lucas." She sighed as she thought, cradling her chin in her hand.

After a few minutes, Neil said, "Maybe we can work something out after all."

"Really?" she asked hopefully.

Neil nodded. "Well, he can work in the main part of the lab, but he just wouldn't be able to enter the restricted area. Would that be all right?"

"I suppose it will have to do. I appreciate you allowing it."

"Hey, we need all the help we can get. People keep going left and right." He gave a slight laugh. "Really, the more hands, the better."

"That's what I hoped you'd say," she replied. "I…I'll explain it to Lucas. I'm sure he'll understand."

Just then, Kristin heard a knock at Neil's door. "I'm sorry to disturb you, Doctor, but we have a bit of an emergency," she heard a male voice say.

Neil turned back to her. "I…I really hate to leave, but…"

"It's perfectly all right. Um…I'll call you tomorrow once we get settled?"

"That should be fine. We'll talk then. Goodbye, Neil."

"Goodbye," he replied as the screen went black.

Kristin sighed as she ran her hands through her hair. Things were going so well, and now she was going to have to break it to Lucas that he'd probably be stuck doing boring paperwork for two weeks. _Well, maybe he won't mind the lull_ , she thought. She shook her head a few minutes later. No, she knew she was probably kidding herself.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Australia**

"Hey!"

Nathan groaned upon feeling a rough shake on his shoulder.

"Hey!" the voice said again. "Wake up!"

Nathan tried to pry his eyes open, but his vision was blurred. He tried to focus on the face above him, but all he saw was a black and white blur.

"How are you feeling?" the voice asked.

 _American. Not Bourne,_ Nathan realized after a moment. "Awful," he muttered.

"Yeah, that's to be expected," the voice replied. "That's the way it is for a few weeks or so. It wears off eventually."

"W-what?" Nathan tried to sit up; he was still lying on the dirt floor. He was still so weak, and his head spun when he lifted it just a few inches off the ground. He raised a hand to his forehead, and his stomach suddenly lurched. He had just enough energy to turn over and retch right where he lay.

When he was finished, he felt his arms being pulled up. "Yeah, you're going to be doing a lot of that too. Let's get you over here; at least you won't be lying in your own mess then."

Nathan could barely walk, and he still couldn't see well. Everything in the room blurred, and there was very little light to see anyway. But he suddenly felt something soft and squishy. _A mattress,_ he deduced.

"Lie down," the voice instructed. "That's really all you're going to be able to do for the next few days. After your next injection, though-"

"N-next injection?" Nathan choked out. "Why…why don't you just kill me instead? Wouldn't that…be a lot easier?"

The voice laughed. "That's not the plan, and Bourne wouldn't have it. That's why I'm here to watch you. We're all taking shifts." He paused for a moment. "Do you still feel nauseous?"

"Not right now…but the room's still spinning, and everything looks as though I'm staring at a funhouse mirror."

Another laugh. "Yeah, well, that proves it's working."

"What…what exactly is it? What did you inject me with?"

There was a bit of hesitation before the voice answered again, his voice lowered. "You're not supposed to know yet, but it was a virus."

"What…what kind of virus?" Nathan pressed.

"Can't tell you because I don't know exactly, but that's not really important. You won't die from it. It's just…just a way they use it to help you."

"Help? And…and who is they?"

Nathan then heard footsteps coming in the distance.

"Hey, Mason," he heard the voice say, sounding a little nervous now.

"Bourne sent me to make sure you were doing as you were told," Nathan heard the second voice say. "He wanted to remind you that you'd better not be getting too _friendly_ with you know who."

"Of…of course not. I know what to do."

"Right…well, he just wanted me to remind you. Don't forget to feed him, Larry."

Nathan then heard the footsteps walk back before Larry returned to his side. _Larry Deon,_ he recalled, _the youngest member of Bourne's group._

"Sorry about that," Larry replied. "I…I've said too much already. You'll just have to wait, but Bourne will tell you soon enough. A word of advice; just don't fight it. It'll be better that way."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Pearl Harbor**

Kristin sighed as she looked across the dinner table in the hotel restaurant later that evening. Someone from the senior staff had taken the liberty of getting them the private room in the back.

"What's the matter? Don't you like your dinner?" Ben asked from the seat next to her. "You've barely touched it."

Kristin looked up from her meal. "What did you say?"

Ben laughed lightly. "Well, I was wondering if you had anything against that carrot. You've been pushing it around your plate for the last fifteen minutes."

Kristin looked around the table and noticed the others were nearly finished with their meals. Her cheeks pinked visibly. "I'm just not very hungry," she said quietly. "It is good; I just…don't have much of an appetite."

"Well, it's been a long day for all of us," Katie piped up. "Tomorrow will probably be better."

"Things will start getting back to normal soon," Joshua added.

Chief Crocker shook his head. "Things aren't going to be normal for quite a while."

"Well, we need to try to conduct business as normal best as we can," Commander Ford reminded them. He caught Kristin's gaze. "I had an interesting conversation with Admiral Noyce earlier.

Kristin's heart sank as she looked down at her hands.

"He says we should be returning to the water by next week," Jonathan continued.

There were several murmured responses around the table.

"Well, I say we make the best of it," Miguel said. "Do the best we can…for the captain."

The others agreed and then a thoughtful quietness fell over them as they finished up their meals.

Kristin decided it was really now or never; besides, she couldn't help but notice the questioning looks Lucas had been throwing her from just a few chairs away. She took her knife and tapped gently on her water glass, causing everyone to look at her. She stood and nervously cleared her throat. "Um, I suppose you're all wondering why I just did that. I…uh…I…" She paused and took a deep breath. "Look, it's no secret that this situation is hard on each and every one of us, and I'm not sure if any of you know it, but it's been…quite difficult for me to handle. That's why I've decided I'm taking some time off…and Lucas is coming with me."

There was a long pause before anyone said a word. Joshua was the first to speak, however. "Are…are you sure about this, Kristin?"

She nodded. "It wasn't an easy decision, but I…I think it's best in the long run. I've already cleared it with the admiral, and it will only be for two weeks. We'll be right here in Pearl, too."

Although there were several disappointed looks, she heard several positive and encouraging responses.

"It'll just be for a little while," Ben replied. "We understand completely."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

When dinner was over, Kristin lagged behind. She wanted to speak with Jonathan, so she waited until the other members of the crew filtered out of the room.

Jonathan then turned to her. "So two weeks in the UEO lab, huh?"

"You knew," she replied. "Admiral Noyce told you."

He nodded.

"I…I'm sorry I didn't tell you first. It was sort of a last-minute decision."

He held up a hand. "You don't need to explain."

"You mean you understand?"

"Of course I do." He put an arm around her shoulders. "I just hope you give us a call every once in a while and let us know how you two are doing."

She smiled. "I will; I promise."

"We'll get through this, you know. It's hard now…but eventually…"

"Yes, I know."

Jonathan gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Well, I suppose I should let you go. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow," she confirmed. "Goodnight, Jonathan…and thank you for everything."

"Goodnight," he called as the two parted ways.

Kristin let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding in as she walked back towards the elevator. That had been relatively easy; she wasn't sure why she'd been so nervous before. Well, perhaps that meant the news about the lab wouldn't be so difficult to break to Lucas after all. She only hoped, but she decided she'd save that for the morning. It had been a long day, and she was exhausted.


	7. Hammer Of Justice Crushes You

**Australia**

"Ungh!"

A sharp pain in his abdomen jerked Nathan out of his slumber. After a brief moment, he felt the same pain again. "Argh!"

"Armand, I told you to wake him, not kill him. Remember he's more of an asset _alive_."

"Yes, I'm aware of that. I just wanted to be sure he suffered."

"Suffer, he will."

Nathan then heard a scuffle that sounded like Armand being pushed against the wall.

"And when I tell you to do something, you won't improvise, understand?"

"Y-yes," Armand spat through gritted teeth.

Nathan breathed sharply through his nose as the pain in his abdomen subsided. Vague memories of what had happened in the previous hours flittered through his mind. He remembered freezing. Chills had plagued his body from the fever of whatever virus they'd injected him with. And then came the vomiting…so violent he'd tasted blood.

Someone…he couldn't make out the face…had brought him blankets, tried to help him eat, mopped his brow with a cloth. By the science of deduction, he guessed it had been Larry Deon. He seemed the only one out of Bourne's group who would be kind enough to do so since the rest seemed intent on making him suffer.

As he became more aware of his surroundings, he was able to open his eyes. He saw the cell come into focus; he was still lying on the mattress on the floor and now saw that it was stained…possibly with his own vomit. A putrid smell invaded his nostrils…the stench of vomit mixed with feces and urine. After shifting his position slightly, he came to the realization the stench was coming from him, though he was too exhausted to feel embarrassed.

"We had discussed this, and you had agreed. And now you want to change your mind?" Bourne's voice brought Nathan back to the present.

Stassi didn't offer a reply. Instead, he tapped his foot against Nathan's shin. "I just find it difficult to believe _this_ is supposed to teach the UEO a lesson. And he's one of the most-respected captains in the fleet? Ha!" He crouched down and whispered in Nathan's ear, "You disgust me."

Several insults ran through Nathan's head, but he wouldn't dare try saying them out loud, not right now. He simply lay there, listening to the two men argue and hoping for some sort of clue to what in the hell was going on.

"You know this is only temporary. We're going to start his pills today."

_Pills?_

"That should be interesting," Stassi replied. "Who's going to be in charge of that one?"

"Larry; he's taking all the dirty chores. The idiot is so eager to please," he said with a laugh. "I'll make him clean him up as well." Bourne then leaned close to Nathan's ear. "You're about to leave your illusion of ignorance and begin living the truth of reality, Bridger. Ready or not, here it comes."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Pearl Harbor**

Sleep had not come easily for Kristin. She spent the night tossing and turning and when she did sleep, she dreamt about Nathan or Lucas, which only made her feel worse. As the evening's darkness turned into a hazy grey, she decided to end her sparring match with sleep and do something productive. Since she was sure it was too early to speak with Lucas, she decided her time was better spent packing.

Just as she was placing the last of her toiletries in her bag, she received a knock at her door. She took a deep breath and moved to open it, part of her hoping it wasn't Lucas yet.

She didn't get her wish. When she opened the door, there was Lucas. Well, what she could see of him, anyway, which was a tuft of blonde hair, since his arms were laden with his luggage, his laptop, and whatever else he had brought.

He shuffled the items in his arms to sit under his chin so he could look at her. "Morning, Doc," he said with a grin. "I thought I'd get up early and pack. Are you surprised?"

"Very," she replied, taking a bag off the pile in his arms. "Come in."

Lucas obliged and let out a relieved breath when he was able to put his things down. "Oh, I see you've been doing the same?"

She nodded. "I couldn't sleep, so I decided to get up early. Have you eaten breakfast yet?"

"No, I was waiting for you."

"Well, why don't we go down and get something? Then we can say our goodbyes and be on our way?"

"Sounds like a plan."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

He had chosen a table by the window where they could see the water. The day was bright and shiny, and Lucas thought the view would do them good.

He had started to think that maybe…just maybe…things wouldn't be so bad. Of course, he missed the captain terribly, but he had a lot of people in his life who cared about him, including the doctor. He thought the next two weeks would help them become closer and would help the two of them cope with everything.

He looked up from his plate of Eggs Benedict and noticed that she hadn't touched her breakfast at all. "Aren't you hungry?"

She picked up her coffee cup and took a sip. "Yes, I was just waiting for it to cool a bit. The waffles are a little too hot."

He gave a nod, but he didn't quite believe her. He thoughtfully chewed on a piece English muffin, trying to decide how to get her to tell him what the problem was when she spoke first.

"I actually need to speak to you about something."

His heart sank. "You're not going to tell me Darwin's dead, too, are you?" He instantly regretted it the moment he said it upon seeing the hurt in her eyes.

She didn't comment, however. Instead, she bit her bottom lip. "There's a small problem with the shore leave."

"Oh, no; I thought the admiral approved it? What? We can't go now?"

She reached across the table and placed her hand over his. "No, no; it's nothing like that. We're still going. It's just that there's a little problem with the lab situation."

"Oh… What's wrong? We can't work there?"

She sighed. "No, we can; it's just we won't be working together."

His brow furrowed. "Why not?"

"I didn't realize that Dr. Cooper's work is classified, and you don't have the security clearance for it. Dr. Cooper's been begging me to help him for months and put in my paperwork ages ago. It's just that the security takes a month for verification… Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yeah, so you're saying instead of a change of scenery, I'll be stuck in a lab doing the same exact thing I do on _seaQuest_ : paperwork and computers?"

"I really don't know what they have planned for you," she admitted. "I realize how disappointing this is for you, but I hope you can understand."

Lucas heard the slight tremor in her voice; he knew how difficult it was for her to deliver the news, and although he wasn't particularly happy it, he realized he couldn't be too hard on her. She obviously didn't know beforehand. "It's all right."

"Really? You're not upset?"

He shrugged. "I'm not thrilled about it. I was kind of looking forward working on some big project with you, but I know it's not your fault."

"If I had my way, you would be working with us, but I'm certainly hoping there's something more interesting than paperwork for you. We'll find out more when we visit the lab this afternoon." She paused. "I was also thinking that if you find it absolutely tedious and boring, you could decline. You're certainly not required to do any work there if you don't want to. Certainly, you could make arrangements to visit your parents for a few days as well?"

He nodded. "We'll play it by ear. And who knows? Maybe I'll meet a hot science babe," he said with a smile.

She chuckled. "Maybe you will."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Australia**

The clanging of the cell doors caused Nathan to wake once again. He cringed, half-expecting a kick in the stomach or something worse, but instead, he felt a gentle tap on his arm. _Larry._

"You awake?"

He nodded. "Sort of."

"How're you feeling?"

He shrugged. "Sort of like death warmed over, but I'm getting used to it. At least the vomiting's stopped."

"Yeah, that's the first thing to get the best of you…the vomiting. I still remember that like it was yesterday." He winced. "But I think you're right; that should be the end of it. It's just the effects of the virus."

"What virus was it exactly?"

Larry avoided the question. "The good news is you should be able to actually eat. And I'm here to help you shower, brought you a change of clothes." He held up a bag in his hand. "And after that, we can talk about the next step."

"The pills?" Nathan guessed.

"Yeah. How'd you know?"

"I heard Bourne and Stassi talking about it earlier."

Larry nodded. "I forgot they were in here." He offered his hand to Nathan to help him up. "I can't do a lot about the mattress, but I can at least flip it over. That should get rid of the smell. And, uh, we're just going to get rid of what you're wearing. I don't think you're going to want 'em back, right?"

Nathan shook his head. "Probably not."

Larry led him to a door in the back of his cell, a door Nathan didn't even know existed. Of course, he hadn't been very coherent until now. Of course, it was locked; Larry took a ring of keys from his pocket, but before unlocking the door, he turned back to Nathan. "You're not going to run away on me or anything, are you?"

Nathan wasn't sure what to say. If he was asking if he wanted to escape, of course he did. He'd do anything to get out of this hellhole. The only problem was, he didn't know exactly _where_ he was nor did he know the first way out of this dump. "Why would you ask that?"

"Well, they want me to use these on you." He pulled out a pair of handcuffs. "But if we do that, it's going to be harder for you to have any privacy…and I figured you deserve to have some dignity left when all is said and done. Besides, you're a ticking timebomb now," he said as he started to unlock the door.

"Excuse me?"

Larry turned back to him. "Oh, they didn't tell you? Without these pills, you'll die. So it'd be in your best interest not to try anything, got it?"

Nathan held up his hands. "I'll be good."

"Thought you'd see it my way," Larry said with a grin as he opened the door, which led to a small corridor lined with several doors.

Nathan had to shut his eyes; the blinding light stung, and the white walls and doors didn't help matters.

"Sorry, I forgot about that. Well, I'll be sure to dim the lights when we get inside." He took Nathan's hand and led him to one of the doors. Nathan wasn't quite sure which; the fourth or fifth one, maybe.

Sure enough, once inside, Larry dimmed the lights. As his eyes adjusted, Nathan realized it was a room of shower facilities. Several, actually, like the ion shower rooms on _seaQuest_ , stalls lined up next to the other, painted stone floors with drains. He wondered what sort of place would need such facilities, but Larry's voice pulled his attention away from his thoughts.

"Just choose whatever stall you like." He pointed to a trash bin on the wall. "You can just toss your clothes in there." He then opened a large metal cabinet on the wall and took out a towel. "There's a hook right outside the stall where you can hang this."

"I really can't thank you enough for being so nice to me. Doesn't seem like the rest of your friends are so keen on doing that."

Larry nodded. "They have their reasons. You'll find soap and shampoo inside. You have fifteen minutes. I'll keep my back turned, but remember, don't screw with me."

Nathan nodded. "You have my word."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Nathan definitely felt much better after a shower. At least he felt human again to a point. After he'd gotten dressed in a grey cotton sweat suit, Larry led him back to his cell.

After re-locking the door, Larry turned to him. "Now, comes the fun part. You're going to start with these red pills here."

"I don't get a choice? I think I'd rather have the blue pills."

Larry grinned. "This is far cry from _The Matrix_ , though we're all being controlled by someone."

Nathan couldn't help but notice how his smile faded by the end of his statement. He was almost afraid to ask what he meant.

He held up a foil packet. "You're going to start with the red pills. After a while, you'll start taking the green and yellow pills, but that'll be later. The reds are what start the process."

"The process?" Nathan shook his head, sighing. "I wish you could just tell me what exactly is going on here."

"Well, I'm not really supposed to say… Bourne wants to do the honors, but-"

"Larry!"

Larry snapped to attention, turning to the voice in question: Mason Freeman. "I wasn't going to say anything."

Mason ignored his comment. "Bourne wants to see you on the double. I'll take over from here."

"Okay." Larry's voice sounded a little uneasy, but he handed the pills over to Mason. "Make sure you tell him about the side-effects."

"Whatever."

"And he needs to eat," Larry called as he opened the door of the cell and locked it behind him.

Once they were alone, Mason held the pills up in front of Nathan's face. "I'm sure my friend told you what these are for?"

"Not exactly."

"You need to take three a day or you'll die."

Nathan nodded. "He mentioned that, but he didn't exactly say why."

"You're on a need to know basis, and right now, you don't need to know." He handed Nathan the pills. "Don't lose these. We have a limited supply." He started towards the cell door. "I'll bring you some food shortly. You take your first dose then."

As he was walking away, Nathan remembered what Larry had said. "Excuse me, your friend…he said something about side-effects?"

Mason let out a light laugh. "You'll have them. I think it's more fun to let you find out on your own. You'll have a blast."

Nathan looked at the packet in his hand. _Guess I'll be following the white rabbit._

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Pearl Harbor**

After breakfast, Kristin and Lucas said their last goodbyes to the senior staff.

"Just be sure to keep in touch," Ben said. "We want to know what's going on with you two."

"We promise." Kristin put a hand around Lucas' shoulders. "In fact, as soon as we get settled in, we'll call and let you know we've arrived."

"And just remember to rest," Jonathan added. He lowered his voice so only Kristin could hear. "I hope you're not going to push yourself too hard, considering what just happened…"

She nodded. "I know what I'm doing. If I spend the whole time lying around, though, I won't be able to function."

"All right. But don't think I won't be checking up on you."

"I wouldn't expect anything less," she told him, pulling him into a hug. "I will miss you."

"Same here, Doc. Good luck."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Ben followed the two of them upstairs to Kristin's room, since he offered to help with their bags.

"I'll just give the cab a call, and then we'll be on our way," Kristin told them.

However, the minute Kristin got off the vid-phone, there was a knock at the door.

Ben and Lucas exchanged a glance.

"Were you expecting anyone, Doc?" Ben asked.

"No; um, maybe it's just someone else wanting to say goodbye?" She crossed to the door and opened it. "Admiral! What a surprise."

"I caught up with Commander Ford downstairs, so I know you two are about to leave, but I was hoping to talk to you. I promise I won't be long."

"Yeah, uh, Lucas, why don't we go for a little walk, let the doc and the admiral have a few minutes alone?" Ben suggested.

Lucas gave a nod as the two started towards the door. The admiral caught Lucas' arm, though. "Take it easy, Lucas."

"You, too," Lucas replied as he followed Ben out the door.

"At ease, Doctor," the admiral said with a smile, motioning for her to have a seat.

She smiled. "I'm sorry. Did I look uncomfortable?"

"No, you just look…sad and tired."

"I don't think that'll change any time soon," she said weakly.

"I wasn't criticizing," he replied. He then took something out of his pocket. "I've thought long and hard about this, and I think if Nathan were here, he'd want you to have this." He handed a small white cloth bag over to her.

She gave him a questioning look.

"I'm sure you knew about Nathan's boxing days at the Academy."

She nodded. "The infamous broken nose story."

"Broken more than once, I might add. Well, that broken nose didn't stop him," Bill replied. "I accompanied him to the hospital after his first fight. I had told him he was crazy if he fought again, but he…he was determined. He said he wasn't afraid and he promised me the first set of golden gloves he won. I've held onto them all this time, but…I think they'd be better in your hands."

She opened the bag to reveal the golden gloves on a long gold chain. "I…I couldn't possibly…" She felt her eyes well up with tears.

The admiral came around behind her and placed the gloves around her neck. "Yes, you can," he replied. "It's going to help remind you you're stronger than you think. And when push comes to shove, you remember you can always knock them out."

She laughed through her tears and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll cherish it always."

"I know you will. As I said, I think they'll do better with you." He paused and looked at her. "You're going to be fine, you know."

"People keep telling me that, but I have yet to believe it. I just hope I know what I got myself into."

His brow furrowed.

"Living with a teenager for two weeks," she explained. "It's been awhile since I've had to do it by myself."

"Oh," he said with a nod. "I think it's like riding a bicycle, though. You never forget."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

One hour later, the cab pulled up in front of Malcolm's condo.

"Which one are we?" Lucas asked. "I didn't know the building was so huge."

Kristin had to agree. She hadn't expected there to be quite so many neighbors; she hoped they were quiet. "We're on the bottom."

The cab driver helped them with their bags as Kristin unlocked the door. After she paid him and sent him on his way, she and Lucas looked around. The apartment was actually fairly large with a spacious living room, kitchen and, dining areas. The master bedroom was just as large with an attached bathroom. There was a smaller bedroom with its own bathroom as well.

"Guess I'll take the smaller bedroom," Lucas told her. "I figured you'd want more space."

She shrugged. "It doesn't really matter to me, but if you're sure."

"You bet. I'll just go put my things away."

"If you need help, just call."

"Sure thing," he said. He paused in the kitchen. "And, Doc?"

"Yes, dear?"

He gave her a grin. "I'm really glad you asked me to do this."

She couldn't help but smile as she touched the golden gloves hidden beneath her shirt. "Me, too, Lucas; me, too."


	8. Overpower

**Australia**

Nathan looked at the questionable food he'd been given. It looked and smelled like stew, though he had yet to find any meat in it. However, his stomach voiced its complaints loud and clear; Nathan sighed and broke off a piece of the crusty bread he'd been given. It was dry, but it wasn't stale. He dipped it into the mystery stew and took a bite. Surprisingly, it tasted delicious, though it might just have been his hunger talking.

Either way, he wasn't in the position to be choosy. He took another bite and another until he had cleaned his plate. He then picked up the packet of pills and examined it carefully. There were no distinctive markings or anything that would give him a clue as to what exactly it was. He wasn't particularly keen on swallowing a pill because they told him to do so. These men were known terrorists, not exactly the type of people one would want to trust. For all Nathan knew, the pill could have dangerous effects.

Just as he was mentally debating with himself, he heard a voice behind him. "How's it going?"

He turned to see Larry unlocking the cell door. "I'm finally able to hold food down," he replied.

"That's a plus." As the younger man entered the cell, Nathan noticed something small and black under his arm. "I brought you a little present."

Nathan eyed him carefully, noticing it was a speed bag, the same kind of bag he used when he used to box. "Why would you bring me something like that?"

Larry gave him a smile and hung it up in the corner of the room. "Bourne told me you used to box in your younger days. I thought you might like it. Besides, once that pill kicks in, you're going to want it. It used to be mine."

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "You used to fight?"

Larry shook his head. "No, but it's a great way to burn the energy off."

He nodded. "I haven't taken it yet, though."

"Are you waiting for the virus to take over first?"

Nathan shook his head. "I guess it's a little hard to trust that this is what you say it is. But I thought you said the virus wouldn't kill me?"

"It won't. It's not the virus that kills you. It's what's _attached_ to it," Larry said matter-of-factly. He sighed, picking up the pill packet. "The pill helps it do its job. Look, I know it's hard for you to trust us. I don't blame you, but I swear to God, it's true. You need to take one now."

After a moment, Nathan took the packet from him and pushed a pill out. Without a second thought, he popped it into his mouth and swallowed.

"There, that wasn't so bad, was it?"

"That depends; I don't know what it's going to do to me yet."

He frowned. "Mason never told you the side effects? Well, I should have known. He's rather bitter about everything."

"Is it going to make me feel sick?"

"What? No," he said with a laugh. "Quite the opposite, actually. You're going to feel good…better than you've felt in a long time and most likely invincible. You're going to feel like you could run a marathon. You're going to _want_ to run a marathon. That's what the speed bag is for. I've got a heavy bag too; I'll bring that down a little later, but the small one should do the trick for now."

Nathan gave a nod. He was still doubtful he'd even need the thing, since he felt nothing yet, but it had only been about three minutes. He'd have to be patient. "I thought Mason was _your_ bodyguard?"

Larry's brow furrowed. "How did you-" Then he gave a nod. "You've done your research, I assume?"

"Though you're not all what I expected, from what I've read."

The younger man simply shrugged. "Well, Mason and I have been together a long time. Being one of the youngest tycoons, I need to protect myself."

"Seems to me his loyalties have shifted a bit," Nathan replied.

"What?" Larry shook his head. "No, he's still loyal. It's just that Bourne calls the shots here, but we all know that. We…we have an agreement."

Nathan shrugged. "How long does this take to kick in? I don't feel any different."

"Just a little longer. Usually takes about ten, fifteen minutes tops." He paused. "You want me to stay in here with you?"

He shook his head. "I'll be fine."

"Very well. Someone will check on you later."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

As soon as Larry left, Nathan realized he did feel something different. His head felt clearer, so clear he tried to piece together the events before he was brought here…wherever that was. The last thing he remembered was talking with Jonathan and Kristin. And then…

He frowned, running a hand through his hair. Surely, they thought he was dead. If that was the case, then they weren't looking for him. And if they weren't looking for him, how in the world was this going to help Bourne's cause at all?

He gave a shake of his head. He was obviously going to need more information about what it was Bourne was doing to him, and no one seemed very forthcoming about that.

Suddenly, he felt a pain in his jaw. It took him a moment to realize he'd been grinding his teeth. He then became aware that his legs were twitching. Indeed, he felt like running. It felt like he'd drunk an entire pot of strong coffee. He ran a few laps around his cell, but that didn't seem to help much. He then moved to the speed bag and began punching. Since it had been so long since he'd used one, he half expected it to come flying back into his face. However, nothing of the sort happened. It didn't take him long to get used to it again. The punching action helped take the edge off, and after he started, he had no desire to stop.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Pearl Harbor, UEO labs**

Neil met them outside the lab, which was located about a mile and a half away from the base. "Kristin, I'm so glad to see you in person…finally. It's been too long."

"Indeed, it has. And perhaps now I won't have to hear you whining about it anymore, hm?" She gave his arm a playful push.

"Don't bet on that. It's always wonderful to have a brilliant scientist, such as yourself, to work alongside, you know."

Kristin felt her cheeks go warm as she put her arm around Lucas' shoulders. "Well, speaking of brilliant scientists, this is Lucas. Lucas, this is Dr. Neil Cooper."

Lucas held out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Dr. Cooper. Thank you so much for letting me tag along."

"You're very welcome, Lucas. I am sorry you won't be able to work with Dr. Westphalen and me, but I promise you we have something just as exciting for you." He paused. "You wouldn't happen to be related to Lawrence Wolenczak, would you?"

"He's my father," Lucas replied.

"Really? I met your father at a conference a few years ago, and he's a brilliant man. Let me just say it'll be an honor to have you here." He motioned for the two to follow him, and they began to walk inside.

As they did, Kristin whispered to Lucas, "See, I don't think you'll be stuck doing paperwork after all."

Lucas nodded. "Dr. Cooper seems nice. I think you're right."

Once inside, Kristin stopped and stared for a moment. The lab was enormous…at least three times the size of the lab on _seaQuest_. Setup around the room were at least a dozen different stations, each with a different sort of experiment going on, it seemed.

Lucas' mouth fell open. "This place is huge!"

"You can say that again," Kristin said with a nod.

Neil laughed. "You haven't even seen the lab rooms yet. On any given day, we have at least twenty-five or more different experiments going on."

Kristin's eyes went wide. "Are you serious? How do you go about your funding?"

"The same way you do. See, I knew you'd like it here."

"Which one do I get to work on?" Lucas asked eagerly.

"Well, I thought I'd let you choose," Neil replied. He motioned to the work stations. "All these experiments are fair game, and they're all aware of your presence here. You can choose one team to work with for the whole time you're here, or you may choose a team a day. Whatever you'd like."

Lucas smiled. "Really?"

"Yes, really," Neil said with a laugh.

"It's just that I'm not used to this kind of freedom. I usually just do what the doc tells me," Lucas explained.

"Well, we're a bit more autonomous here. Enjoy it."

Lucas gave a nod and moved to get a closer look.

"Aren't you going to say goodbye?" Kristin asked.

He grinned. "Sorry, Doc. See you later."

"Have fun," she called as she returned back to where Neil was standing.

"He certainly is enthusiastic, isn't he?" Neil asked.

She nodded. "I think this is just what we needed to keep our minds off of everything." She placed a hand on his arm. "I hope you know how much we appreciate it."

He waved a hand. "It was no trouble; besides, you're the one helping _me_ out, remember?"

"Actually, I think it's a mutual exchange."

"Okay, we'll have it your way." He placed a hand on her back and ushered her to an elevator at the end of the corridor. "We're going to be on the top floor; we're a bit more secluded. The lab is smaller, and don't worry; there are only six others."

"So I won't go crazy trying to remember names?"

He shook his head. "Though there is one more formality we need to take care of."

"Formality? I thought you handled that already?"

"I did," he replied as the elevator stopped. "The formality I'm speaking of isn't anything complicated." He led her down another corridor to an office door marked with his name. He opened the door and motioned for her to follow him inside. He then opened a file cabinet and took out some papers. "Just a routine confidentiality agreement; certainly you're familiar with them. Since this is an experimental program, you understand you need to keep what you see and hear private."

"Of course," she replied, glancing through the forms, signing, and then passing them back to him.

"Wonderful." He put the papers away and turned back to her. "Well, are you ready for the tour?"

"As ready as I'll ever be. Lead the way."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

The lab was indeed smaller, as Neil had told her. It looked and felt more like the _seaQuest_ lab. She paused in the doorway and took a deep breath.

Neil stopped and turned back to her. "Everything all right?"

She nodded and gave him a weak smile. "It's just a bit surreal. It'll take some getting used to, that's all."

He moved back to her and took her hand. "I promise they don't bite."

"Though we might nibble a bit," a young blonde woman said from a nearby worktable, flashing Kristin a friendly grin.

"Don't tell her all our secrets yet," Neil said, giving a wink. "Kristin, I'd like you to meet the comedian of the group, Zoe; Zoe, this is Dr. Kristin Westphalen."

Zoe moved around the table and extended her hand. "Dr. Cooper has told us so much about you. We're all thrilled to have you aboard."

"Thank you," Kristin replied. "It's lovely to meet you."

Zoe gave a light laugh as she moved back to her station. "I'm not sure you'll feel that way about me by the end of all this; I'm rather difficult to put up with, so I've been told. But the feeling's mutual."

Neil waved a hand. "Zoe's just kidding. She is a delight."

Zoe rolled her eyes, but she kept the grin on her face. "You don't need to lie now."

"Well, as you can tell," Neil said to Kristin, "we're rather informal around here. We all know how to joke around, so don't be afraid to let loose and have a little fun. I know you need it." He motioned to a young man working at a table across the aisle from Zoe. "This is Jeremy."

The young man waved. "Nice to meet you."

Kristin waved back and said, "Likewise."

"And back there, we have Cadence, Oscar, and Dante."

Kristin waved to them, and they did the same before going back to whatever it was they were working on.

"Don't forget our mascot," Zoe said as she crossed the room to get a few test tubes.

Neil nodded. "I was just getting to that." He ushered Kristin to follow him, and they crossed to a door. "But you'll mainly be working with me. This is your virology crash course. Are you ready?"

She bit her bottom lip. "Um, I suppose so."

"I promise it will be relatively painless." He turned the door handle and allowed Kristin to enter first; he then shut the door behind him.

Kristin was shocked by what she saw. There was really no other word for it. Certainly, there were work tables along one side of the room, just as she'd expected with laptops and microscopes. But what was drawing her attention was a large machine in the middle of the room with a clawed hand that was turning test tubes filled with some sort of blue liquid under a heat lamp.

Neil laughed softly. "I suppose you're wondering what exactly is going on here."

She nodded. "I've…I've never seen such a thing."

"We lovingly call it the Iron Giant," he told her. "Inside the tubes are different strains of virus, which we grow. Then we use the virus to try to create vaccines for unknown strains."

"And this sort of work is highly classified?" she questioned. "Scientists do that every day."

"Perhaps," he said with a nod, "but you haven't seen the whole picture yet. Follow me." He crossed to yet another door on the other side of the room.

Kristin obliged but stopped short in the doorway when she heard loud squeaking. She knew full well what he was about to show her: experimental animals. She cringed slightly. Being a doctor and a scientist, she was always torn about using animals or experimental purposes. Certainly, medical science would not be where it was today if it weren't for animal experimentation. Modern medicine would not be what it was today if it weren't for animal experiments.

Ethically, however, she disagreed with it. As a doctor, she believed in one thing, first and foremost, and that was _saving_ lives, whether they were human or animal. And she knew a great number of lab animals lived their lives in cages, were put through horrible pain and torture, and were even vivisected. She hadn't considered this being part of her work here; she wasn't sure she could participate in such a thing.

Neil noticed she hadn't moved from the doorway. "You're not afraid of rats, are you?"

"Not at all," she replied. "It's just that…I'm not a fan of animal experimentation. I don't like to hurt living things."

"Oh, I thought you'd be used to this sort of thing…"

"I know it happens, and I understand why. I just don't like it nor do I want to do it."

"Would it make you feel better if I told you we don't hurt them? Come inside and see for yourself."

"All…all right." She took a deep breath and stepped inside, hoping she didn't see any two-headed mutant rats. She turned to her right and saw two happy-looking rats in a nearby cage, one white, the other brown, standing on their hind legs. She smiled softly.

"See? They don't look mistreated, do they?"

"Not at all." She happened to look at the label on the cage. It read: CONTROL: Edith and Erica. Her smile faded. No wonder these rats seemed fine; usually, the controls were unaltered. However, as made her way along the wall, glancing at the different cages, all filled with rats of various names and colors, they all seemed to be in the same condition, even though, according to their cage labels, they'd been injected with various strains of virus.

"I promise we are as ethical as we can be," Neil explained as he motioned her to the end of the cages. "Templeton here understands that." He tapped on the glass. "Don't you, buddy?"

A hand rose to her mouth when 'Templeton' came into full view. Unlike his furry friends, he did not appear to be faring as well. He was completely hairless and had several lesions on his body. He also appeared to walk with a limp. She shuddered as Neil reached a hand inside the cage and pat him on the head. "That…that does not look ethical," she finally choked out.

He held up his hands. "I know what it looks like, but Templeton is special. He's actually built up a fairly strong immunity to the most of the viruses we've used on him, which is why he's such a fascination for all of us. I promise, in about a week, he's going to look perfectly fine again."

"I'll take your word for it."

He put the lid back on Templeton's cage. "This isn't going to be a problem for you, is it? If I'm going to have you here, I need to know you're all in. That means you might have to help me with the rats. Had I known you had such strong convictions about this, I'd have said something beforehand."

She sighed. "I am sorry if I seemed judgmental. I promised I'd help you, and I will. I'm here to learn, and I'll do whatever I'm asked."

"Wonderful. I promise, we won't be doing much with the rats, if that eases your mind any. Come on, let's go back to the Iron Giant, and I'll explain what I need your help with."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

It wasn't long before Neil and Kristin were looking at different virus samples under the microscope.

"This is _alphacoronavirus_ ," Neil said, handing her a slide. "Now, on the next slide I'm going to hand you, you'll see the mutation."

She heaved a sigh as she gave a nod.

"I'm not boring you, am I?"

"Certainly not; I am sorry. I just…after being at this for hours, I still don't see why this is classified. Why isn't every lab doing this? Working on such viruses is extremely important work. Why would the UEO insist that be kept under wraps?"

He hesitated. "I did mention this was an experimental program for a reason. There's a reason I needed your help. Our team's going to be working around the clock for the next two weeks because we have strict orders: the UEO wants conclusive results because they want to begin testing on humans."

A brow rose. "W-what?"

"It would be voluntary, of course, but the plan is to extend the program to military personnel."

"You…you mean they'd test different types of virus on them and see if the cures work? And if it doesn't, we'll have military men and women dropping left and right."

"That's why you're here. They want it for protection."

"Protection?" she scoffed. "What in the world does that mean?"

"Military men and women going on missions in strange places; they come in contact with many unfamiliar viruses…just like your Liberté virus."

"I see the point there, but don't they realize how dangerous this could be? What happens if we don't have the data ready in time?"

He shook his head. "They haven't mentioned. I hope we don't get to find out."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

On the ride back to Malcolm's condo, Lucas excitedly shared his day with Kristin.

"Oh, Doc, that lab is so cool! I met so many great people. We were working on an experiment on the effects of pollution on wildlife, and…"

Kristin's thoughts drifted as Lucas jabbered away. She couldn't help but regret agreeing to all this after all. She felt she couldn't back out now, but had she known every detail, she probably would have never agreed. It all seemed a bit too risky…as if she hadn't enough to worry about before she found all this out.

"Doc, are you listening?"

"Oh, yes, of course, dear. I…I'm so glad to see you had a good time."

"Then why didn't you answer my question?"

"Oh…I'm sorry. What was it again?"

He laughed slightly. "You weren't listening after all. I asked how your day was. I've been doing all the talking here; I think it's time you had a turn."

"Oh…it was interesting, to say the least."

"Interesting? That's all you can say?"

She gave a shrug. "I'm sorry; it's just been a long day, and I'm rather tired. Would you mind if we didn't talk the rest of the way home?"

"Sure, Doc; whatever you want."


	9. The Ultimate In Vanity

**Pearl Harbor**

Once back inside the apartment, Lucas couldn't help but feel awkward. The reality of everything finally sunk in. He'd agreed to spend the next two weeks alone with the doctor 'to get away' from everything, whatever that meant. He had enjoyed working in the lab today; it was a nice distraction, but in the end, that's all it really was. He doubted that it was really going to help either of them heal as the doc had hoped.

He glanced towards her, sitting on the sofa. She appeared to be off in her own little world, but he couldn't help but wonder what was going through her mind. He knew she needed her space, but he was absolutely starving. He looked through the refrigerator and the pantry, but there was nothing he found particularly appetizing. As he looked in her direction again, she sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She was obviously worried about something, but she had said she didn't want to talk. He really hated to bug her, but this was an emergency.

"Uh, Doc?"

She turned to look at him, her eyes wide, almost as if she'd forgotten he was there. "Yes, dear?"

"I was wondering about dinner…"

"Oh, my gosh; I'm so sorry. I do suppose we need to go shopping."

"We could always order out?" he suggested. "I know you're tired…"

She gave him a weak smile. "That's a good idea. I'm sorry; this is a bit of a learning experience, you know."

He nodded and moved to sit next to her. "Yeah, I guess it's been a while since you had a kid to take care of."

"I do hope you'll tell me if you need something. I'll probably make mistakes," she said quietly.

Lucas put his arm around her shoulders. "I'm sure I will, too, but at least we're in this together. I promise I'll say if I need something."

She pulled him into her arms and gave him a tight hug. "That's good to know."

As she broke the hug, Lucas stood and took out his laptop to look at takeout menus. "What are you hungry for?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I'm really not that hungry at all. Order whatever you like." She handed him her credit card.

"So I can order pizza?"

"Anything," she repeated. "I don't want you starving on my watch. Besides, I have studying to do."

"Studying?"

She nodded. "I need to do some research and brush up on my virus knowledge. So if you need me, I'll be in my room glued to my laptop." She stood and walked towards her room.

"Okay, but you know, you're going to need some energy. I promise I'll save you a slice of pizza."

She turned back to him and gave him a smile. "That's very sweet of you. Just enjoy it while you can because tomorrow, we'll be going to get some real, nutritious food."

"Hey, pizza is nutritious. And tomato sauce counts as a vegetable."

She laughed before closing the door.

"And besides, someone needs to take care of you, too," Lucas muttered.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Kristin heaved a sigh. She'd been staring at her computer screen for about an hour. Neil had suggested a few websites for her to look at, but this was all too reminiscent of her medical school days. Although she wanted to learn more about virology, she found it all a bit confusing. It wasn't about understanding how they worked or how they affected the human body. It was the structure and their gene replications. Neil wanted her to be able to look at a virus and be able to name it and its replications right away.

Certainly, as a doctor, she knew the basic virus structures, such as rhinovirus or the different types of influenzavirus. However, she did not know every virus gene replication; she relied more on human symptoms and comparisons to other known viruses. But Neil had asked her to try, and she said that she would. However, she not only had to know what the virus looked like but which genome and protein it affected. This was going to be much harder than it appeared.

As she was staring at a model of lymphocryptovirus and trying to memorize its gene replication, a gentle knock sounded at the door. "It's open," she called.

Lucas poked his head in. "The pizza's getting cold."

She nodded. "Yes, I can smell it, but I don't really have time right now."

"What? You can't spare fifteen minutes to eat something? You of all people should know that it's not healthy to function on an empty stomach. How many lectures have you given me on that?" He crossed his arms and gave her a frown.

"You've learned well, grasshopper," she said with a smile. "I just want to try to memorize this replication and then I'll-"

But Lucas wouldn't have it. He reached over her shoulder and turned her laptop off.

"Hey!" she protested.

"You can continue after you've had something to eat," he told her. "Besides, have you ever thought I might be able to help you?"

She shrugged. "I hadn't thought of it. I mean, I'm sure you'd rather do something a bit more…fun."

Lucas started out the door. "I happen to think hanging out with you _is_ fun. Besides, what else am I going to do? Play video games until all hours of the night? I do that all the time. So, yes, I would be happy to help you study. Why are you trying to memorize all that junk anyway?"

"Dr. Cooper asked me to try. It's much easier for him if I don't have to stop and ask him what virus we're looking at and what its gene replication is every few minutes," she said as she followed him.

"What exactly is it you're working on there?"

"I'm not allowed to say."

A brow rose. "Why not?"

"It's classified. All I can say is that it has to do with virus research, obviously."

Lucas laughed slightly. "But you can tell me; you know I won't say anything."

"No, Lucas, I can't. I certainly wouldn't want you to get in trouble if anything happened."

His brow furrowed. "What's going to happen? How would they find out?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I just…I'd feel better if you didn't know. It's classified for a reason, so let's just keep it that way."

"Whatever you say," he replied. "But for now, you need to forget that virus stuff and relax." He opened the fridge and tossed her a can of soda. At least Malcolm had the good sense to leave a plentiful supply of soft drinks for them.

She caught it, but gave him a frown. "Oh, Lucas, thank you, but…"

"Don't tell me you don't drink soda?"

"On occasion, yes, but I don't normally. It's not healthy."

He rolled his eyes. "Neither is skipping dinner." He then took out two plates, served up two generous portions of pizza, and handed her one. "Follow me."

"Where are we going?"

"To the living room. We're going to relax, drink a little soda, eat some pizza, and watch some TV. We're supposed to be on vacation. Act like it."

She smiled and sat down next to him. "Fine, I get the point; I need to loosen up a bit."

"Just a little." He paused and picked up the remote to turn the vid-screen on. "If the captain were here, you know he'd get onto you for working too hard and not taking any time for yourself."

She turned to stare at him for a moment and realized she found herself speechless. When was it that Lucas decided to take it upon himself to take care of her? As she picked a mushroom off the slice of pizza on her plate and ate it, she realized. _And he's absolutely right, too; Nathan would say exactly that._

"What do you feel like watching?" he asked as he flipped through channels.

"Whatever you like. I don't mind."

Lucas began flipping through channels when he stopped on the world news channel. "Look," he pointed out.

Kristin noticed the headline: _Mass shooting at UEO lab in Washington DC._

Lucas turned the volume up as a blonde female reporter said, "I'm standing outside the UEO lab in Washington where just a few hours before, Doctor Michael Henderson opened fire inside, shooting all his coworkers execution-style and then himself. Police are still trying to piece together what in the world prompted such a tragedy."

The screen then split and the news anchor began asking questions.

Lucas turned the volume down and turned to her. "Did you know him?"

She shook her head.

"I just can't believe someone could do something like that. If you want to commit suicide, just do it. But why murder innocent people beforehand?" Lucas ranted. He then paused, biting his lip in worry. "This was just an isolated incident, right?"

Her brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

He shrugged. "I don't know." He pointed to the screen. "I mean, they're saying the guy never acted violent towards anyone, and one day he snaps and murders eight people and then kills himself? And he happened to be working in the UEO labs on an experimental program. It hits a little too close to home, doesn't it?"

She waved a hand. "Oh, I'm sure it's just coincidental. You know full well that there are murders every day around the world. It's a sad fact of life, yes, but I doubt it's going to be a pattern around the labs. I'm sure as more details emerge, they'll find out he had a lifelong fascination with guns or something. You know how these stories play out."

"I guess," he replied quietly.

She sighed and set her plate on the coffee table. "All right, why are you suddenly so concerned about a murder-suicide incident thousands of miles away?"

"I just… I don't…" He looked down at the floor. "Forget it."

"No, I won't forget it. Something's bothering you; just tell me what it is…please?" She placed a hand on his arm. "Lucas?"

"It's just…what if that was you?"

"What?"

"What if…what if something happened at the lab? Just how well do you really know Dr. Cooper? What if I lost you too?" His voice trembling slightly, sounding small.

"Oh, Lucas." She moved his plate to the coffee table and wrapped her arms around him. "I promise you that everything is going to be fine."

"You know you can't promise that," he mumbled. "The captain tried, and look where that got him."

She bit the inside of her cheek; she couldn't argue with him there. There was no way she could promise that everything would be perfectly fine. She took a deep breath, absently running her fingers through his hair. "You have a fair point. How about this instead? I will do everything in my power to make sure you don't lose me."

For several moments, he didn't respond. Finally, however, he pulled away and nodded. "I guess that's all I can ask for. Thanks."

"Anytime. Just try not to worry about it. You know as well as I do that the fear of murder is much greater than the chances of actually being a victim of one. Now how about we finish eating, hm?"

He gave her a small smile. "Yeah, okay."

"But I think _I'll_ be in charge of the remote for now; I think we both need to watch something happy at the moment, don't you?"

He took a bite of his pizza. "What? Like cartoons?"

"If you insist," she said, turning the channels until she found a cartoon.

Lucas raised a brow. "You're not kidding."

"You catch on quick," she teased. "I used to be a kid once, too, you know. And even when Cynthia was younger, I used to watch cartoons with her."

"Oh, _Scooby Doo_ ," Lucas pointed out.

She smiled. "See, just what we need." She then set the remote down and started eating once again.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**UEO Headquarters**

"Frank, you are such an idiot!"

Thomas barely had time to say hello to her, let alone much else, since Dre had barged into his office uninvited. "Excuse me?"

"Have you seen any sort of news report today? Read the papers?" She crossed her arms and gave him a glare.

"Not yet."

She took the liberty of crossing the room and turning on the vid-screen. "Washington DC? Really?" she asked in an exasperated tone.

Frank swallowed hard. "You told me to figure out a way to handle things," he said weakly.

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, well, when I did that, I assumed you knew our location. What the _hell_ does the lab in Washington have to do with anything?"

He sighed and turned the vid-screen off. "You wanted me to ensure Dr. Westphalen didn't find out anything she shouldn't know. I figured that this would be enough to scare her off."

"And if it doesn't?" she challenged.

He shrugged. "I hadn't thought of that. I…I didn't think you wanted me to endanger her life."

"I frankly don't care," she replied. "But I highly doubt she's going to be afraid of a little incident miles from here."

"So I suppose you're going to ask me to fix it?" he guessed.

"Bingo. And you do remember what I said if anything leaks out?"

He nodded.

"Good. Then I trust my work is done here." She then turned towards the door. "Oh, and Frank, don't think I won't be keeping my eye on you. If I want something done, I know how to make it happen. You know it's best not to cross me."

He sighed. "Yes, Madam Secretary."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Australia**

Nathan heard his cell door open, but that didn't make him stop hitting the speed bag. He didn't even bother to see who it was.

"Whoa, slow down, Speed Racer," he heard Larry's voice say. "How long have you been doing that?"

Nathan paused for a brief moment, trying to think. He gave a shrug. "I kind of lose track of time in here; not like I have a clock." He then continued hitting the speed bag.

"Touché. But what I meant was have you been doing that since I left?"

"I guess," Nathan said with a shrug.

"You know that was four hours ago?" Larry shook his head and placed his hands on Nathan's shoulders to move him away. "I know you don't feel like stopping, but you need to eat so you can take your next pill."

"Next pill?" Nathan then noticed the tray of food Larry had brought in. He frowned when he noticed it was the same stew he'd eaten earlier. Well, at least it was something.

"I promise the energy wears off eventually. Once your body gets used to everything, that is."

"Everything?" Nathan asked as he took a generous gulp of water. "And just when am I going to find out what everything is exactly?"

"All Bourne will say is soon. I think he wants to wait until you've had a day or two of pills. It'll be too late by then."

"Too late?" Nathan repeated.

"To turn back," Larry said matter-of-factly. "Eat up and take your pill. I'll bring that heavy bag down shortly. I think you'll need it."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Pearl Harbor**

After eating, Lucas had a brilliant idea to help Kristin make flash cards to help her memorize the different virus gene replications. They'd been at it for at least an hour, and surprisingly, she was able to retain some of the information better than when she was trying to study it on her own.

"Okay," Lucas said, "this is a hard one." He flipped the card over. "Virus type?"

"Flavivirus," she replied.

"That's right," he told her. "But here comes the hard part: its gene replication."

She bit her bottom lip. "I know it attaches to the E protein's host receptors…"

"Yes, that's right," Lucas encouraged. "And that process is called?" He paused. "I'll give you a hint; its initials are CME."

"Clathrin-mediated endocytosis?"

"Yes!" Lucas replied, giving her a grin. "See, you're halfway there."

She took the card from his hand and read the back. "Yes, but I didn't remember every step of the replication."

"Do you really think Dr. Cooper is going to expect you to rattle off every step?" Lucas shook his head. "I can't see how he'd expect that. You're not a virologist."

"No, but I said I wanted to learn. It'll help me in the long-run. The next time we run into a mysterious virus like we did on the Liberté, I want to know what to do."

"But that was a mystery virus," Lucas pointed out.

"Still, had I known more, I might have been able to do something _before_ we contacted Dr. Peché."

He picked up the stack of cards. "You already know at least half of these. I think that's more than enough, and I think you should call it quits for the night."

"I don't-"

She was interrupted by the ringing of the vid-phone.

"See?" Lucas said with a grin. "Even the vid-phone thinks so." He gave her a look. "Are you going to answer it or should I?"

"How about we both do it?" she suggested. "I suspect it's either Commander Ford or Admiral Noyce anyway."

As she hit the button, with Lucas at her side, however, she found out she was mistaken. "Malcolm!"

"Hi," he said with a grin. "I hope it's not too late."

"Not at all," she replied. "We were just studying."

His brow furrowed. "Studying?"

"Brushing up on some virology facts," she explained.

"Good to see you, Lucas."

"You, too."

"Well, I was just calling to check up on you. I had promised I'd do that."

She nodded, feeling her cheeks go warm. "We're doing okay."

"Except she needs to learn to relax a bit," Lucas added. "She's all work and no play."

Malcolm laughed. "Well, that's not a surprise."

"Oh, very funny," she replied, crossing her arms over her chest. "You two can stop talking about me as though I'm not here."

"All right. But speaking of all work and no play, I was wondering if you thought about what I said."

Kristin thought for a moment. She and Malcolm spoke about a lot of things, and she wasn't quite sure what he meant.

"Um, maybe I should give you two a few moments?"

"Oh, Lucas…you don't need to leave," Kristin told him.

"It's fine; I feel like a walk anyway."

She then turned back to the screen. "That was very subtle."

Malcolm innocently held up his hands. "I wasn't trying to get him to leave. I was hoping he'd help convince you anyway."

"Convince me of what?"

"Of coming here for the weekend. Remember we talked about that?"

"Oh… Malcolm, I…I'm not sure." She nervously looked down at her hands.

"I'm sure Lucas would enjoy it," he offered.

"It's just with me working at the lab, they might need my help. I really don't know if I'll be able to get away."

"I see…"

"I am sorry; this isn't a no exactly."

"I know; I understand. Maybe I'll call you in a day or two?"

"That would be nice. Um, I guess…"

"This is goodnight," he told her. "Get some rest."

She nodded. "Goodnight, Malcolm; thanks for calling."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Once she was alone, she stared at the pile of flash cards on the table, heaving a sigh. Perhaps Lucas was right; she was really too exhausted to try to look at anymore virus information tonight anyway. She crossed to the back door and looked out, seeing Lucas sitting on the beach. She went to meet him.

"I thought you were going for a walk?" she said quietly.

He shrugged. "I changed my mind."

She sat down next to him. "You didn't have to leave the room earlier."

"I know; I just thought…I thought you might want to talk to him alone."

"I really have nothing to say to him I can't say in front of your right now. Malcolm wants us to go to his island for a visit."

He perked up. "Really?"

"Only I don't think I'll be able to get away. Unlike you, I won't have weekends off."

"Oh…"

But Kristin could hear the disappointment in his voice. "That's no reason why you can't go, though."

"You think?"

"Why not? Malcolm said he wanted you to come. And if you really want to, I'm sure we can make arrangements."

"I'll think about it," he replied. "I did want to spend some time with my parents while I'm here, too."

She nodded quietly. "I'm sure there'll be plenty of time for that. Just remember you're not expected to go to the lab every day."

"I know, but I like being there. I had fun today. It was nice…to get away. I think you're right...we needed to do this." There was a long pause before Lucas spoke again. "Are you okay?

"What?"

"We haven't really talked much today about it…"

"Oh…" She put an arm around his shoulders. "I'm fine, really. However, I think I'm going to turn in. Are you?"

"I think I'm going to stay out here a little longer, if that's all right."

"Of course." She moved to give him a kiss on the cheek. "Goodnight, dear."

"You, too."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

As Kristin lay in bed, however, she felt tears creep up, tears she didn't even expect. She suddenly realized she was tired of going through the motions and pretending. She only hoped things would get easier as time went on.


	10. Exploiting Their Supremacy

**Pearl Harbor**

_In her quarters, Kristin licked the last bit of chocolate pudding off her spoon when she received a knock on her door. Her brow furrowed in question, wondering who it could be at this hour as she moved to open it. "Nathan?" she said when she saw him._

_He pushed past her, not bothering to wait for her to invite him inside. "Just what did you mean when you said you were checking back there?"_

_She closed the door behind him and then crossed her arms over her chest. "It means I need to do some reassessing, some think-" Her words were cut off when Nathan pressed his lips to hers. "Mmm."_

_After a few moments, he broke the kiss, still holding her in his arms. "What was it you were saying?" he asked softly, moving to nibble on her earlobe._

_She gasped. "I…I've suddenly forgot- oh!"_

" _That's what I thought you'd say," he told her, trailing gentle kisses down hollow of her throat before capturing her lips once again._

" _Oh, Nathan," she moaned in between kisses. "I…I've wanted this for so long."_

" _Me, too, my darling," he confirmed, ushering her to the bunk and gently pushing her down. He kissed her once again. "What is it you want exactly?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows._

_She laughed softly. "I think you know the answer to that."_

" _I want you to say it."_

_She brought her lips to his ear and whispered, "Love me, please."_

" _For the rest of our lives, darling," he replied._

"Oh, Nathan," Kristin muttered in her sleep. "Please…don't stop."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

_Kristin suddenly found herself in the ward room, crying with the others._

" _I just can't believe he's gone," Katie muttered, her voice trembling. Ben placed his arm around her in a gesture of support._

_Quiet tears slipped down Kristin's cheeks as Jonathan suggested they take the rest of the day off to grieve, to recover._

_As she entered her quarters, Kristin lost it, breaking down completely as soft sobs escaped her. Suddenly, she felt gentle hands on her trembling shoulders, causing her to jump._

" _I'm sorry; I didn't mean to startle you."_

_She turned to look in his direction, her eyes growing wide as a hand rose to her mouth. "Na-Nathan? We thought…"_

" _You didn't think I'd leave without saying goodbye, did you?"_

" _Goodbye?" she choked out, her tears still flowing. "Why?"_

" _I know it's hard for you to understand, but I have to go," Nathan said, moving a hand to brush her cheek and wiping a tear away with his thumb. "Don't cry, sweetheart, please."_

_She shook her head. "I…I can't do this without you."_

_He moved to wrap his arms around her. "Yes, you can. You're stronger than you think."_

" _I don't want you to go," she cried into his shoulder._

_He simply nodded, rubbing her back and whispering comforting words to her in low tones. They stayed that way for what seemed like a very long time as Kristin's cries finally quieted._

_Much to her dismay, however, he finally broke the hug. "I'm sorry I can't stay."_

" _Please, don't do this." Her voice was barely above a whisper as tears threatened to fall once again._

" _If I had a choice, I would never leave you."_

" _Then, don't!" she begged. "Please?"_

" _I'm sorry; I wish I could stay. You have to know that." He hesitated for a moment and then placed a hand under her chin and lifted gently. "I'll always love you; remember that."_

" _Nathan, no..."_

" _I have to go," he told her as he suddenly disappeared into thin air. Yet somehow, she heard him say, "You're going to be just fine. I know it."_

_She shook her head in disbelief, unsure if she'd imagined it. She ran a hand through her hair, looking around in all directions, searching for any sign of him._

_After a moment, she spotted something out of the corner of her eye: a red rose lying on the floor with a note attached. She knew it wasn't there before. Had he dropped it?_

_She moved to pick it up, reading the note. It read: Please, don't cry for me. I'll be fine, and so will you. We'll meet again one day._

_She sighed, clutching the note to her chest. She tried to hold the tears in, but to no avail. "Nathan? Oh, Nathan, please…"_

"No, Nathan, please…don't leave," she mumbled as she tossed and turned. "Please?" she cried softly. "No, don't-"

Her voice caught in her throat as she instantly sat up, tears still flowing and breathing heavily. "Oh, Nathan…" She felt a shiver creep down her spine at the thought of him. The dream had seemed so real; she could still feel her skin burning from where he had touched her.

Sobs wracked her small frame at the haunting memory of it all, and she covered her mouth with her hand to quiet them. After several minutes, however, she had the nagging sensation that she ought to look at the clock. When she did, she realized she hadn't time to cry in bed. It was half past six, and she had to figure something out for breakfast. She forced herself out of bed when she realized she heard voices.

A low gasp escaped her throat as she wiped at her eyes. Lucas was awake already. She assumed he'd been watching television. Had he heard her? She shook her head, wringing her hands in worry. If he had, he probably would have knocked to check on her, she decided. They were both still upset about what had happened, but she didn't want to spend her days crying about it…at least not in front of him. She had figured if they were going to get through this, she had to be strong, no matter how weak she felt inside. However, despite her best efforts to stop, a few more defiant tears ran down her cheeks.

"You need to stop this," she whispered to herself. "It was just a dream. There's no need for drama. You have too much to do to-"

"Lucas, how do you like your eggs?"

Kristin stopped short. That voice sounded so familiar… The voices weren't coming from the vid-screen after all.

"Over easy is fine," Lucas replied. "What about the doc? Do you think we should wake her?"

Before an answer could be given, Kristin threw on her robe and opened the door. "I'm awake," she muttered quietly before making a bee-line for the bathroom to splash some cool water on her face and then check her appearance in the mirror so that no one would be able to tell she'd been crying.

"I do wish you'd have woken me, though," she said to Lucas before turning to their guest. As suspected, Ben was cooking over the stove. "This is a surprise." She sounded less than enthusiastic, however.

Ben gave her a sheepish grin. "Yeah, uh, sorry. You see…"

"Ben called about an hour ago," Lucas told her. "He wanted to speak with you."

"You never called yesterday like you promised," Ben added. "Anyway, Lucas mentioned you hadn't gotten a chance to get to the store yet, so I thought I'd do you a favor. I picked up some essentials. It should buy you a few extra days; that way if you're too busy…"

"I see… I kindly thank, but you really didn't need-"

"It was no trouble at all," he said with a grin. "How do you like your eggs?"

She put up a hand and shook her head. "You two go ahead. I need to get in the shower if we're going to be at the lab by eight. Excuse me."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Ben frowned as he turned off the burner and divided the eggs up between two plates. He set one in front of Lucas.

"Thanks, Ben; these look good."

"No problem, kid." He stared in the direction of the bathroom door absentmindedly. "Did you notice anything off about her?"

Lucas looked up from his plate. "Off? What do you mean?"

He shrugged. "She just seemed…different."

"She was probably just surprised to see you."

"I guess…" he said thoughtfully, though he didn't believe that was the case. He was sure he'd seen tears in her eyes. Not only that, she didn't seem particularly pleased to see him.

Lucas nodded his head towards the other plate. "Aren't you going to eat?"

Ben shook his head. "I'm saving it for the doc. She'll want to eat something before you two leave."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Kristin leaned up against the tiled wall of the shower and shut her eyes tightly, trying to will away the tears that still stung her eyes.

Although she knew he was trying to help, she couldn't help but notice the way Ben looked at her. The way he frowned, that look in his eyes…she was sure he was disappointed. She and Lucas hadn't even been away for twenty-four hours, and she couldn't even manage to feed him properly.

She gritted her teeth as she washed her hair, feeling anger creep up, taking its place right alongside the overwhelming sadness that plagued her. She vowed right then and there that this would never happen again. Never would she give Ben or anyone else a reason to barge in and feel they had to do anything for her. She was a grown woman, and she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself and of Lucas. She'd just have to manage her time a bit better and have a little talk with Lucas. She'd already given him the disclaimer speech that she'd make mistakes, but she wanted to be sure she hadn't already scarred him.

After rinsing, she let out a sigh as she turned the tap off and grabbed the towel from the wall. She was already failing at her new resolution, considering she was sure they were going to be late for the lab. She only hoped Neil wasn't too upset with her.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

As soon as Ben heard the door open, he turned in her direction. "Breakfast is getting cold."

"I'm afraid I don't have much of an appetite. We have to leave soon, and I have to get my things together."

He frowned, eyeing her carefully. "It's only a little after seven."

"And it's a twenty minute drive," she replied, gathering up some papers off the coffee table and stuffing them into a file folder. "Is Lucas getting ready?"

"Yeah," he replied, not blind to the fact she refused to look at him. "You want some help?"

"No, thank you. I'm fine."

He didn't believe her at all, though. He gathered up the dirty dishes and set them inside the sink, intending to wash them, only he couldn't let go of the fact there was something wrong. Instead, he walked towards the living room and stood in the doorway, watching her.

It took her a few moments for her to realize he was there, her brow raised in surprise. "Something you needed?" she asked.

She tried to sound casual, but Ben could hear the slight tremor in her voice. "Something's wrong." It wasn't a question.

She forced a smile. "I'm fine, Ben. I'm just tired. Being in a new place, I didn't sleep all that well."

"You are the _worst_ liar," he replied, walking towards her.

She lowered her gaze and gave a shrug.

Ben sighed. "I can see how red your eyes are. I heard you crying in the other room."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Your point?"

He placed a hand on her shoulder. "When are you going to take a breath a slow down? You're putting too much pressure on yourself." He watched her chew thoughtfully on her bottom lip and then take a shaky breath, expecting she was near tears once again.

However, she surprised him by gently pushing him away. "Why in the world do you think I came here?" She crossed her arms over her chest once again, giving him an expectant look. "Wasn't it to get away?"

"Except Lucas tells me you spent half the night studying." He shook his head. "Seems like a strange activity after losing a loved one."

"It was research for the lab position, and just what business is it of yours what I do with my time?" she retorted.

He held up his hands. "You're right; it isn't my business, but pretending like it never happened isn't helping either."

"Excuse me? Is that what you think I'm doing? I'll have you know-"

"Uh, guys?"

They both turned around to see Lucas standing in the doorway.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Everything's fine," Ben told him.

Kristin nodded. "We were just having a discussion…" She shot a glare towards Ben. "…but I do believe it's over. We really have to get going."

"Not exactly," Ben said. "I wasn't finished yet."

Kristin shook her head. "I don't-"

"This won't take long," he told her. "Lucas, why don't you wait outside? The doctor will be out shortly."

"Okay," he replied shakily, lingering in the doorway for a brief second before turning away.

As soon as she heard the click of the door, Kristin turned back to him, anger flashing in her eyes. "I can't believe you. Just what the _hell_ gives you the right to come in here and dictate to me what I should or shouldn't be doing?"

"I just think you're doing too much too soon," he explained, being sure to keep his voice calm. "I'm not trying to sound critical, but don't you think all this lab business is just making things worse?"

Ben watched as her features began to soften as a soft sigh escaped her. "I need to get on with my life," she said quietly. "This is the only way I know how." She paused for a moment, finally meeting his gaze. "Are you disappointed in me?"

"Oh, gosh, Doc; no, of course not." He approached her carefully, putting an arm around her shoulders. "I never meant for you to feel that way. I just think a few extra days would-"

She shook her head. "I don't need a few extra days. I'm fine, I promise." She then heard the beeping of a car horn out front. "I do appreciate your concern, but I really haven't time for this."

"Fair enough, but what about this? We're all going to dinner tonight. I've already invited Lucas along; what about you?"

"I'll have to play it by ear…"

"Fine." He paused as he watched her gather her things once again. "If you can't come out with us, how about you and I make a lunch date or something?"

She sighed. "I'm pretty busy at the lab."

"I'm just trying to tell you I'm here if you need to talk. All of us are."

"I know," she replied. "I just want…" She shook her head. "No, I _need_ to figure things out on my own…for now."

Ben nodded. "Suit yourself. Just don't forget you're not alone here. Lucas is worried about you, too."

"I promise I'll speak to him." She glanced at the clock. "I'm sorry, but I really need to go."

He nodded. "Um, do you want me to stay and clean up?"

"I think you've done enough already." She moved to kiss him on the cheek. "I'm sorry if I didn't seem particularly appreciative. I know you're only trying to help."

"But you don't exactly want it, do you?" he guessed.

"I just…I don't want to seem helpless. If I need help, I'll ask."

"You'd better. Let me walk you outside," he told her.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Lucas waved to Ben as the car drove way and then glanced towards the doc. She was looking through the flash cards he'd made her; however, he couldn't help but wonder if everything was all right. She and Ben were in the house for an awfully long time. And the glare the doc had been giving him when he walked in the living room…

"Doc?"

She turned to him, a gentle smile on her face. "Yes, sweetheart?"

"Is everything okay?"

"Of course; everything's fine."

"That seemed awfully automatic," he noted. "You and Ben…"

She sighed and put the flash cards away. "I know; we did have some words, but we're fine. He just…had some concerns."

"Yeah, he mentioned…"

She put her arm around him and gave a gentle squeeze. "I promise if there were a problem, I'd say. It's just… We're still getting used to all the changes."

"Maybe we could talk later, just you and me?"

"I'd like that," she told him.

"Good." He paused. "Are you coming to dinner with us?"

"I already told Ben we'd have to see…because we're already late."

"I'm sure Dr. Cooper will understand. It's not like you're getting paid."

"That's not quite the point, but I certainly hope you're right."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Australia**

By his sixth pill, Nathan's energy had no inclination of declining. Sleep had not come easy for him for that very reason. If Larry hadn't urged him to get to bed, Nathan would have worked on the heavy bag all night. Still, he guessed he only slept for about five hours.

The only one who ever spoke to him, outside of telling him to eat and take his pill, was Larry. Mason and Armand seemed wary of him for some reason, and he hadn't seen any sign of Alexander Bourne since he'd been up and about.

He'd spent his day going back and forth between the speed bag and the heavy bag. Although he couldn't be positive, he guessed the pill somehow increased stamina. It also seemed to heighten his senses. He could hear footsteps in other parts of the building, even when they weren't anywhere near him. He could also hear voices, though it was more like being in the middle of a crowd; he could never make out what was being said.

He was getting pretty good at knowing when a meal was coming, though. He paused for a brief moment upon hearing a door open. After a moment, he realized it was someone coming towards his cell; not Larry, though.

Larry had short legs, and so he took quick steps. These footsteps were much too slow; it was someone much taller. As the footsteps stopped in front of his cell, he turned to the person in question.

"Ah, Mr. Deon tells me you've adjusted well," Alexander said. "I had to come see it for myself." He paused, eyeing him carefully. "You don't need to stop on my account. Carry on. I'd like to see you in action."

Nathan shook his head. "You came all the way down here to watch me hit a few bags?"

"No, I came down here to witness the first part of your transformation," he replied. "Obviously, you've noticed some changes?"

He nodded. "Though I don't suppose you're going to tell me what all this is about yet, are you?"

Alexander laughed. "Quite the contrary, actually, though I won't lie and say I haven't enjoyed watching you squirm."

A brow rose. " _Watching_ me?"

Alexander nodded towards a small, black globe-like structure in the corner of Nathan's cell. "You didn't think I'd miss the show, did you?" His lips curved into a cold smile. "I'm afraid Larry will be laid up for a few days; I know how _close_ you two have grown."

Nathan cringed at the thought. Larry had been his one hope at salvation; he'd been the only one to share any bit of information with him, though he guessed Bourne wouldn't have killed him…he hoped. He seemed to be a valuable asset, even if it was just for finances.

"Cat got your tongue?" the younger man teased.

"Not at all," he replied casually, being sure to keep his emotions in check. No way was he going to give Alexander anymore fuel to play with than he already had. "I was just thinking."

"Wracking your brain to try and figure all this out, are you?" He let out a sigh and began pacing slowly in front of the cell. "Of course you are; what else would be on your mind?"

Nathan offered no reply as he kept his eye on him.

"I did tell you you'd be leaving your illusion of ignorance, and I meant it. The UEO is an organization of lies."

"Lies?" Nathan scoffed. "If it wasn't for the UEO, we'd still be in the middle of a war."

"If it wasn't for the UEO, your son would still be alive, would he not?"

It felt like a slap, the mention of Bobby, but Nathan did his best to keep his cool. "I see you've done your research."

"Certainly. So getting back to the death of your son, you don't have any bit of resentment towards your precious UEO?"

"Back then, yes, but you know what they say. Time heals everything."

"You can't really believe that?" Alexander asked with a laugh. He paused, examining Nathan's face for a moment and then raising a hand to his mouth. "Oh, no; you _do_ believe that?" He laughed a bit harder. "You really have been brainwashed by them, haven't you?"

Nathan shook his head. "If you'd done your research, you'd know I haven't always been on their side."

"You're absolutely correct, and that's actually why I chose you."

"Chose me?"

"Absolutely." He brought his index fingers into a peak and placed them against his chin. "You didn't think I just chose you at random, did you? Out of all your fellow captains, I felt you had the greatest potential. You should feel honored."

"Forgive me if I can't quite see it the way you do."

"Oh, but you will. You haven't always trusted them and for good reason…because you know their hands are so very dirty."

"On the contrary; it seems that _you're_ the one with the dirty hands."

"Oh, I'm not denying that. However, I don't try to _hide_ what I do. I let the world see what I really am. I never try to be something I'm not, unlike your precious United Earth Oceans Organization."

Nathan paused for a moment, allowing what Bourne had said to sink in. His brow furrowed. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"My, you do catch on quick, don't you?"

He gave a shake of his head. "Anyone can stand here and say fancy words."

"That sounds like a challenge, Bridger." He finally unlocked the cell door and stepped inside. "You really didn't think I'd come here without proof, did you?" He then pulled what appeared to be a thick file folder from inside his jacket. "I had debated how exactly I'd break the news to you. This won't give you all the answers, but it's a start." He tossed the folder on the ground at Nathan's feet. "Don't stay up all night now," he said with a wink before leaving.

Nathan hesitated for a moment before moving to pick up the folder. His hands shook slightly when he saw the words written in black ink on the cover: _The Dark Age of Genetics_.


	11. I Can't Believe The Things You Say

**Pearl Harbor, UEO labs**

On the way to the labs, Kristin's cellphone began ringing. The caller ID read that it was Neil. She took a deep break and answered. "Hello, Neil. I am so sorry we're running a little late, but we're-"

" _Actually, that's not why I'm calling. Well, it is somewhat; I was wondering where you were, but we've run into a snag."_

"A snag? What do you mean?"

" _I'll explain more when you get here, but be sure to tell the driver to use the back parking lot. I'll meet you there."_

"All right; see you shortly."

As Kristin hung up, Lucas gave her a questioning look. "Something wrong?"

She shrugged. "I'm not sure." She leaned forward. "Dr. Cooper said to use the back parking lot."

"Yes, ma'am," the driver replied with a nod.

As the car approached the lab, however, they understood why Neil had called, for the entire front parking lot was swimming with reporters.

"Oh, my goodness," Kristin muttered.

Lucas' brow furrowed. "You don't suppose this is because of what happened in Washington?"

"It seems the only logical explanation." She sighed. "Hopefully, the back parking lot is clear."

Unfortunately, they found it was quite the opposite, though there were a few burly-looking security guards keeping them back and clearing the way for Dr. Cooper. As the driver stopped the car, Neil offered his hand to help the two through the crowd of reporters.

It didn't prevent the reporters from trying to get a story as Kristin found a microphone shoved in her face and heard a female voice ask, "Ma'am, what do you think of what happened yesterday?"

Before she could utter a reply, another reporter shoved his way towards Lucas. "Do you feel safe working here?"

"Please, we have no comments; just let us do our jobs," Neil told them, trying to usher Kristin and Lucas forward towards the door as the security guards were trying to force the reporters back.

Several minutes later, they finally reached the door; Neil scanned a security keycard and the three hurried inside. Neil then scanned the card again, and the familiar sound of the door locking could be heard. "Are you two all right?"

Kristin and Lucas exchanged glances and nodded.

"We had no warning. They just showed up. Thank goodness the brass decided to up our security, or we'd have no way to keep them out."

Lucas bit his bottom lip. "Does that mean they think something will happen here?"

Neil shook his head. "It's highly unlikely. In all the years I've worked here, we haven't had anything to worry about, but you can't blame the brass for wanting to be careful." He handed them two cards. "This is how you'll get in and out from now on. We've used your UEO picture ID's to save time; I hope you don't mind. All you need to do is scan it. I'm sure you're familiar with the process?"

"Yes," Lucas and Kristin replied in unison.

"Except…" Kristin added. "Didn't the incident in Washington happen from _inside_?"

"They've taken precautions against that as well," Neil said as he led them down a corridor with several twists and turns until they reached the main lobby.

As soon as they walked inside, there was a metal detector with an x-ray scanner and another security guard standing watch. "No weapons should be able to get past," Neil assured them as they all passed through the detector without incident.

Immediately, one of the younger scientists called Lucas' name, and he gave Kristin an uncertain look.

"Go on," she told him. "I'll see you later."

He flashed her a grin and went on his way as she and Neil walked towards the elevator.

"I know this is something you're doing as a favor to me, but I really hope you don't make a habit of being late…" Neil said.

Kristin felt her face grow warm as they stepped through the elevator doors. "I know, and I am terribly sorry. I promise it won't happen again, and I'm willing to stay later if need be to make up for it. We just…" She took a deep breath. "It's going to take some adjusting, being in a new place, and it took us a bit longer to get going."

"There's really no need to explain," Neil told her. "I just wanted to remind you we've got a deadline to meet."

"Well, you should know it's not normally like me to be late."

"Of course; thank you for the reassurance, though." As the elevator came to a halt, he continued, "You'll also need that security keycard to get into the upstairs lab as well. Once inside, the doors will lock."

Her brow furrowed. "We'll be locked in?"

"It's just for protection, yes." He paused. "It doesn't make you uneasy about working here, does it?"

"No…" Her reply sounded too high-pitched, she realized, making her sound defensive. She cleared her throat. "I mean…no. It's just…I want to be sure. Besides you, I don't really know anyone here."

He nodded. "I understand, but just let me put your mind at ease. These are good people. They've had extensive background checks, and their psychological profiles are squeaky clean. If there was any inkling we could have a repeat incident, I'd be the first person to speak up. You trust me, right?"

She gave him a small smile. "Of course; I'm sorry if it sounded as though I didn't."

"No worries," he said, returning the smile. "Now, this door works the same way, and it will unlock and lock with the keycard. Up until now, we never had a reason to use the lab's security system. There was never a reason to worry."

"Well, hopefully, it's short-lived," she replied quietly.

As soon as they stepped through the door into the lab, however, Kristin noticed everyone stop what they were doing to stare at her. She felt her cheeks grow warm once again, positive they were disappointed in her tardiness, even though Zoe gave her a friendly smile. Kristin gave her a gentle nod as Neil led her towards the other door.

"And this door works the same way. You want to try?"

She nodded and scanned her card, causing the door to unlock.

"Now, be sure to lock it again," Neil instructed as he walked past. "I've already begun preparing some syringes with virus, so if you want to follow me…"

Once inside, Kristin did as she was told and then moved to stand next to Neil.

"Now, these are some of the virus strains we looked at yesterday. We're going to fill the syringes, and then with Zoe's help, we'll be injecting some of our test subjects with the virus to see how they react."

"By test subjects, you mean…" She nodded her head towards the animal room.

"Yes," he replied. "I promise it won't hurt them. They've already been introduced to a similar strain, so this is really just to see if they've maintained the proper antibodies to fight off this one. It's a form of arenavirus. This is why I asked you learned your viruses and gene replications. You did study, didn't you?"

"Of course."

"Then tell me what you know about this virus."

Kristin suddenly felt like she did when she was a med student being put on the spot by a professor. She instantly began to sweat as she desperately tried to remember what the virus did. She took a deep breath and said, "Arenavirus, commonly known as Lassa virus or fever. It's a zoonotic virus, affecting both humans and rats, and it causes hemorrhagic fever, which can lead to encephalitis."

"Very good. Its current treatment is Ribavirin. Why?"

"Because Ribavirin stops the viral replication."

"And why is that?"

She paused, biting her bottom lip. "Because it…" She then shook her head. "I'm sorry, but…I can't quite remember."

He sighed. "Because it inhibits the RNA-dependent nucleic acid synthesis. As you know, there is no vaccine to prevent it, but we've already had success with our clinical trials. We think we're very close to finally having a vaccine. You see what I'm saying?"

She nodded. "I didn't realize exactly which viruses we'd be focusing on."

"And that's my fault for not really specifying, but we'll be working with as many as we can eventually." He then put an arm around her shoulder. "But I can tell you did do your research, so don't worry there."

She gave a quiet nod, but she didn't feel much better. As they worked, she suddenly realized her hands were trembling slightly, her nerves still acting up. She was so worried she was going to make another mistake, and it was making her shaky. She only hoped Neil didn't notice and that she could get herself back under control before Zoe came in. Thankfully, he didn't attempt to quiz her any further as they worked, which helped her relax a bit.

"Fantastic," Neil said when they were finished. "I'll just go tell Zoe we're ready."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**UEO Headquarters**

Secretary General Dre entered the meeting room, where she'd asked the brass to meet. She took her place at the head of the long wooden table. "Ladies and gentlemen, I assume you all know why we're here?"

Everyone nodded solemnly.

"Good. Then this shouldn't take long. NCIS is already investigating the situation in Washington DC, and it appears it was nothing more than an isolated situation. Thankfully, we shouldn't have to worry about a repeat incident, but to be sure, we've upped the security here and at all our other labs."

"That's all well and good," Bill Noyce replied, "except have you seen the leeches in our lab parking lot?"

Dre laughed softly. "You know as well as I that the press always want their story and will do anything to find it, even if there's nothing there. It will die down in a day or two."

General Leslie Mitchell nodded. "We've seen press involvement in the past. We all know how it goes."

"I am well aware of that. I just want to be sure my scientists are _safe._ I don't want a repeat of Elysium colony," Bill added.

"None of us does," Dre said after a moment. "Frank is supposed to be handling this, aren't you?"

General Thomas perked up. "Of course. And I'd just like to remind everyone I had nothing to do with what happened at Elysium," he said, looking directly at Bill.

"No, but if not for your orders, Nathan never would have-"

Dre slammed a fist on the table. "Gentlemen!"

They both clammed up and turned towards her.

"Dwelling on the past won't help anyone," she replied, her voice quieter now. "What happened to Captain Bridger is a tragedy we _all_ regret, but laying blame won't bring him back, understood?"

"Yes, Madam Secretary," they both muttered quietly.

"Good," she said with a smile. "Then as long as there's nothing else, I think this meeting is adjourned."

As everyone stood, Bill turned to the secretary general. "Could I have a word with you, please?"

"You're not still being a worrywart, are you?"

He sighed. "It's just that with Frank's track record, I'd like to offer my help with the situation here." He turned around. "What do you say, Frank?"

General Thomas waved a hand. "I really think I've got it covered."

Dre put a hand on Bill's arm. "Oh, Billy, don't you have your hands full as it is anyway? Now, I promise you I'm keeping a close watch on the situation, and you know I won't stand for any nonsense, so put your mind at ease. I know you have a lot on your plate, so you'll just have to trust us. What do you say?"

Bill took a moment, looking back and forth from the secretary general to General Thomas before answering, "Very well."

"I do appreciate it," Dre replied with a smile.

As Bill started towards the door, he stopped in front of General Thomas and whispered, "You'd just better ensure my scientists are safe and sound, or this means war." He then left the room, whistling casually.

"Phew," Dre said once she and Frank were alone. "That was a close one. You owe me for cleaning up the mess you created."

"I think you know you're in just as deep as I am."

She shrugged. "But you wouldn't have come this far now if it weren't for me; just remember that." She paused. "We still follow through with the plan."

"But the reporters-"

"Will be there no matter what happens. They'll get the story they're looking for soon enough. Besides, if we don't do something drastic, all our heads will be on a platter. And no one wants that."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Pearl Harbor, UEO labs**

"Believe me, I know your qualms about this, so we're going to make it easy on you and have you keep notes," Neil said to Kristin once Zoe joined them. He handed her a tablet computer and swiped his finger across it. "You'll see our data from the last injection period. Just continue below."

She nodded. "Seems simple enough."

"Oh, it's a piece of cake," Zoe told her, giving her usual friendly smile. "And I promise this should be rather painless for our furry friends."

"That's good to know," Kristin replied when they heard a strange beeping noise. She turned to Neil. "What's that?"

"Damn it," he said with a frown. "That sound means we have a little problem with the Iron Giant. I'm going to have to handle it, and that means going downstairs to find the maintenance crew." He looked at Zoe. "Do you think you two can take care of this alone?"

"Sure thing, Doctor. We'll be fine. We've got it covered."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

As soon as Neil left, Zoe led her to the animal room. "I still won't make you do any injections if you don't want to," Zoe said.

"That's very sweet of you."

"It takes getting used to. I'm not sure anyone really likes it."

Kristin watched as Zoe approached the first cage. "This is Alvin and Theodore," she said. "You'll see their names on the list."

"Aha, here they are," she said. "Could I ask you something, though?"

"Sure." The younger woman picked up one of the rats and inserted the needle into its bottom, and it let out a tiny squeak. "Oh, stop being so dramatic." She pet the rat on the head. "You're fine." She turned back to Kristin. "See, it doesn't hurt them. Now, you want to mark that they've been injected with virus strain A-6…and that's all we need to do for now, since we don't expect to see results right away."

"How can you do this every day without getting attached?" She then did as she was told while Zoe continued to move on to each cage, announcing the names to Kristin before the injection.

She shrugged. "I do get attached. I just...try not to let it show, I suppose. I've been doing it so long, it's become second nature." As she picked up Templeton, she said, "This is the last one. That wasn't so bad, right?"

"Not at all," Kristin replied.

Zoe took care of the needles and removed her gloves. She then peeked out into the other room. "Unfortunately, it seems like Dr. Cooper isn't back yet. I feel bad leaving you all alone."

"Do you need any help until he gets back?" Kristin offered.

"Actually, no, but that's fine. How about we have a little chat instead?"

Kristin's brow furrowed. "A chat? What about?"

Zoe held her hands out. "About this. I'm assuming you don't know what's really going on here?"

"What?"

She sighed, giving a nod. "You were told we're doing virus research."

"Y-yes…" She looked around at the cages before turning back to her. "Isn't it?"

"In a way, but…" She lowered her voice. "There's more to it than that. Why else would everything be such a secret around here?"

Kristin couldn't deny that's what she'd been thinking the whole time, but she wasn't quite sure what Zoe was saying.

"Don't get me wrong," Zoe continued. "We're all here for the science. I think that's what most of us tell ourselves now since we've been doing it so long. But you…you still have a chance...unless… Did they have you sign the confidentiality papers?"

Kristin nodded, feeling a cold shudder from deep within her bones and not really knowing why.

"Damn, of course they did. And I suppose you didn't bother reading through it to the end?"

Kristin lowered her gaze, feeling her cheeks redden. "I didn't think there was a reason…"

Zoe placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't feel bad. None of us did. Besides, it's one of those things you'd have to search for…the _fine_ print."

Several moments of silence before Kristin spoke again. "So what _are_ we doing exactly?"

"In short, genetic alterations," Zoe replied. "We-" She stopped short when they heard the other door opening.

"Sorry it took so long, ladies," Neil said upon entering the animal room. He turned to Kristin. "How'd it go?"

"Oh, just fine, Doctor," Zoe replied. "We didn't have any trouble at all."

"Wonderful. Well, I think we're finished, so you can go back to your other work."

Zoe gave a nod and made eye contact with Kristin, a sympathetic look on her face, before leaving the room.

Neil then put an arm around Kristin's shoulders. "You sure you're okay with everything? You're awfully quiet."

"Oh…" She gave him a weak smile. "Y-yes, of course. I'm…just in awe."

He laughed slightly. "Well, unfortunately, since the Iron Giant is down for the rest of the day, it looks like we are too. I hope you're not too disappointed."

"I think I'll live," she told him. "Besides, it gives me more time to get some studying done."

"Actually, I wanted to speak to you about that."

She bit her lip. "You did? I…I know perhaps it seemed like I wasn't prepared, but I-"

Neil held up his hands. "That's not what I was going say at all. You seem to forget it's me; I'm not some sort of scientist dictator."

She gave a small smile. "I…I know; I just don't want to disappoint you."

"You're not. You've already impressed me by finally taking me up on my offer. I just want you to remember that you don't need to put so much pressure on yourself, with everything you've been through lately. Above all, I want you to have fun. So what do you say we take a night off? How about I take you out to dinner?"

She hesitated. "I don't know… I feel like I should study a little bit."

"You always did have amazing work ethic. Fine, but you're not allowed to study past nine, okay?"

"I think I can abide by that one," she said with a smile. "Um, perhaps by the end of the week, I can take you up on that offer?"

"I'll look forward to it."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Australia**

The file Bourne had given him was filled with case studies. No, Nathan didn't recognize the names or the faces, but he recognized the torture and the vivisection of the GELF's. He was not proud of this particular time from his past, but there was so much uncertainty, so much confusion.

His loyalties to the military were also unwavering; he was told by his superiors it was the right thing, and he'd went along with it. Now, he knew better; if he felt something was wrong, he had no problem speaking up. But that was quite a different story eighteen years ago.

Still, there was one thing he didn't understand, and that was why Bourne would be so upset about the GELF experimentations. As he turned the pages in the file, however, he noticed something: the dates. GELF experimentation had been outlawed fifteen years ago, but the dates went well past 2004; in fact, there were cases documented well into 2019. His eyebrows knitted together. It just didn't make sense.

He felt somewhat relieved when he heard activity from the other end of the corridor; that meant he might be able to find some answers.

"You'll have to put your fairy tales away for now," Armand told him, carrying a food tray. "You know what time it is."

"It's far from a fairy tale," Nathan replied. "I have to say, for once, I'm glad to see you, though. I was hoping you might be able to shed some light on this."

Armand laughed as he slipped the tray in through the slot. "And why should I help a fiend like you?"

He motioned towards the file. "Is this all true?"

A brow rose. "Do you really think we'd be so adamant about our cause if it weren't?"

"But I don't understand. GELF experimentations were outlawed fifteen years ago."

"Do you really think a signed treaty is enough to stop crimes against humanity? Murder is outlawed, too, but that doesn't stop it from happening."

"You have a fair point," Nathan replied. "I'm still confused, though. Why is Bourne so upset about GELF experiments?"

The younger man laughed again, crossing his arms over his chest. "You really believe _that's_ what this is all about?"

"Isn't it?"

He sighed. "You really are naïve about what your superiors have been doing right under your nose, aren't you?"

Nathan held up his hands. "I really had no idea about any of this. I…I thought the GELF experiments stopped in 2004."

"They _did_ ," Armand replied with a smile. "The UN stopped the _GELF_ experiments in 2004, but that doesn't mean they didn't seek out other options."

Nathan's brow furrowed as he looked down at the file.

"They were so hell bent on creating the perfect soldier, there was no way they'd let all that research go to waste. They compromised, and they might have gotten away with it, too…except some of us finally decided we didn't like living under their thumb."

Nathan pondered on this for a moment. "Us? You mean you, Bourne, the others?"

"Ding-ding, we have a winner."

"But…but how?"

"As if you didn't know."

"I…I swear, I didn't know about any of this."

Armand eyed him carefully for a moment. "Funny, I think you're actually telling the truth."

"I am."

"Unfortunately, we can't go back now. We've already started."

Nathan glanced at the tray of food. "This is what they did to all of you? The pills?"

"And Bourne was the first. Eat up now. Your food's getting cold."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Pearl Harbor**

"You're sure you don't want to go with us?" Ben asked.

Kristin shook her head. "I do appreciate the offer, but I think I'm going to do a bit more studying and then turn in early. I really just need some time for myself."

Lucas frowned. "Do you want me to stay? I could help you study."

She put an arm around his shoulders. "Oh, no, dear. You go and have a good time. I'll be fine alone for a little while."

"We won't keep him out late," Ben promised, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "If you need anything, you be sure to call."

"Of course," she replied, giving Lucas a hug. "Have fun now."

After Lucas and Ben had left, Kristin sighed and moved to sit on the sofa with her laptop. She had wanted this time alone for studying, only now, she couldn't get what Zoe had said out of her mind. Part of her wanted to tell Lucas, hoping his hacking skills would come in handy. But then, she realized how incredibly careless it would be to involve him in such a thing.

She didn't have all the details, but the way Zoe had talked… It almost sounded as though they were playing with fire. And did Neil know? Why in the world would he involve her in this if he did?

She was determined to get some answers one way or another. She began typing into her browser when she received a knock at the door. "Who could that be?" she muttered to herself, setting her laptop down on the coffee table and going to answer it. "Neil?"

"I hope you don't mind, but I brought takeout." He held up the bag to show her.

"Thank you, but…what are you doing here exactly?"

He laughed. "Funny, I thought you might invite me in."

"Of course," she said, blushing and stepping aside.

"I just thought you might want a studying partner. And if I know…and I do, you'll be at this all night without stopping for any fun. So that's what I'm here for. What do you say?"

"I say okay." She moved to the cabinet to get out some plates and divided the food. "This smells absolutely delicious. Thank you."

"You're very welcome," he said as they moved the sofa. He glanced at the laptop screen. "So what were you studying? Oh…"

"Um…it's not quite what it looks like. You see…"

"Zoe spoke to you?"

"Well, yes. Is it…true?"

He nodded quietly. "I…I'm so sorry I wasn't straightforward with you. I just thought if you knew, you'd never agree to any of this."

"That's what I've been trying to figure out…exactly what _this_ is?"

He sighed. "Do you remember the seminar where we met?"

"Somewhat…"

"Okay, do you remember the lecture on how a virus can be used as a map to one's gene structure?"

"Vaguely, but-"

"This has a point, I promise. Over the years, we've learned that live virus is the most effective way to affect the chromosomes. That's all we're doing."

"To rats?"

"And a few volunteers…human volunteers," he told her. "Obviously, the UEO want this all kept under wraps because it could prove to be a very effective weapon eventually."

"You mean we're helping to create fighting machines?" she said flatly.

He scratched the crook of his arm. "Well, the changes in the mitochondrial DNA would affect other things besides just strength; faster healing times, agility, stamina. Really, this could be the breakthrough of the century if we get it perfected."

"I still don't understand why you didn't just tell me all this in the first place…"

"I am sorry for not being completely truthful, but come on, Kristin; I know how you can be. You're very…set in your ways about some things. I just thought it might be better this way."

She sighed. "Well, I suppose I can't blame you completely. Had I known about it, you're right, I might have backed out." She paused. "But the situation in Washington; were they working on the same thing?"

He scratched his arm again. "Yes, but I don't think it's related. They discovered the doctor there had some deep-seated mental issues."

"Not a surprise; I figured it was something like that."

After a quiet moment, Neil asked, "So you're still in?"

She nodded. "As long as there are no more lies."

"It's a deal."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

After eating, Kristin showed Neil the flashcards, and they began working with them.

"You're on a roll," Neil said with a smile.

"This is easier than I expected," she said. "But this is the last one."

"Deal," he said, scratching his arm yet again.

"I have to ask, though; what's wrong with your arm. You've been scratching it all night."

"Have I?" He rolled up his sleeve to reveal a large, red bump on the crook of his elbow.

"My God, what happened?" Kristin immediately moved to examine it, but Neil held up his hands.

"It's nothing; just a spider bite, I think."

"You're sure? It looks like it might be infected."

He shook his head. "I imagine the swelling would go down if I can manage to leave it alone."

"I have just the thing for that," Kristin replied, moving to walk into her bedroom. She came back a moment later with a few packets of antihistamine cream. "On the house."

"Thanks," he said with a grin as he stuffed them in his pocket. "This will help tremendously. Um, maybe I should go home and take care of this?"

She nodded. "I really appreciate you coming over, though. It was fun."

"I agree; see you tomorrow."

"Of course," she said as she walked him out the door, only to find that Ben and Lucas were returning at the same time.

"Oh, hello," Dr. Cooper said. "And goodbye."

"Goodbye," they both muttered, looking somewhat confused.

"He just came over to help me study," Kristin explained.

"I see…but I thought you wanted some time to yourself?" Lucas said.

She shrugged. "Plans changed."

"So you'd rather spend time with him over me?"

"Lucas, it wasn't like that at all. Dr. Cooper just showed up."

"So why didn't you tell him the same thing you told me?"

"Lucas, please, I…"

He shook his head. "That's what I thought. You don't need to lie about wanting to be around me, you know. I'm used to it."

Kristin moved to put an arm around him, but he pulled away.

"Don't bother. I'm going to bed. See you later, Ben."

"Goodnight," Ben told him.

Kristin sighed, giving Ben a worried look. "That didn't go so well, did it?"

"I think you need to remember we're all still grieving. Lucas is just a bit…sensitive with everything. I'm sure he'll be fine in the morning."

"So you don't think I should try to talk to him now?"

"I'm not sure it would help; I'd let him cool off. Once he does, he'll see he has no reason to be upset."

"I certainly hope you're right."


	12. I Can't Believe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter does get a little graphic with descriptions of murder and suicide. While it isn't anything that goes against the T-rating, reader discretion is advised. Thank you.

**Pearl Harbor**

Kristin had every intention of taking Ben's advice. Despite the millions of questions she had concerning the lab situation lying just below the surface of her mind, she hadn't the energy to contemplate them all right now; she was exhausted and just wanted to crawl in bed and hope the next day was better. However, as she lay there, she couldn't tear her thoughts away from Lucas; she'd always believed wholeheartedly in not letting the sun set on one's anger, just in case… Well, that included anyone angry with her, she felt. She pushed herself out of bed and slipped on her robe.

As she approached Lucas' door, she heard heavy metal music…Damaged Soul by Black Sabbath. So perhaps the song choice was a bit telling, but at least he was awake. She took a deep breath and knocked.

"Go away!" came the response.

"Lucas, please? I'd like to talk to you, just for a little while…"

A moment later, he turned the music off and opened the door a crack.

Relieved, Kristin stepped inside. Lucas was sitting on the edge of his bed, playing some sort of game on his tablet computer. "Could you put that down for just a moment?"

He rolled his eyes and let out a huff but did as he was asked.

"I hadn't planned on Neil coming here; he just showed up."

"But you didn't turn him away either, did you?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"That would have been a little rude, wouldn't it?" She moved to sit next to him. "Besides, he brought takeout. He just wanted to help me study."

He shot her a look. "So you say."

She put a hand around his shoulders. "Lucas, I-"

He stood, shrugging her away. "Don't Lucas me. I am so sick of this…of pretending that everything's all right when it isn't."

"No one ever said it was. And no one ever said you had to pretend."

"You should take your own advice," he said quietly.

Her brow furrowed. "What?"

"I might be young, but I'm not naïve. You think I don't know see what you're doing?"

She lowered her gaze to the floor. "I can't spend my days dwelling on what happened; that doesn't help anyone."

"But you don't need to act like everything's just fine either. It's not like he's on a trip somewhere. I thought we were supposed to be getting through this together, but we haven't really talked about it lately."

"And I told you we would whenever you wanted."

"I shouldn't have to schedule that!" he shouted. "Besides, it's a little difficult when you're studying or having fun with your scientist friends."

"I had told you-"

"I don't really give a damn anymore." He paused. "You really want to know how I feel? I wish it were you instead of him."

Kristin felt the sting of tears pricking her eyes, but not because it hurt her. It was because she felt the exact same way; she wished it had been her instead. She quickly retreated from the room, and Lucas made no attempt to stop her.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

They didn't talk any more after that. Kristin wasn't sure what to say anymore. It seemed pointless to try anyway. Even before Nathan came to the _seaQuest,_ Lucas had never been particularly forthcoming with her. He was more likely to confide in Ben or one of the other crewmen over her; she had simply chalked it up to him being a teenage boy. Plus, she seemed to recall Cynthia being the same way at that age, to a point. It didn't mean they didn't care for one another; their relationship was just…different.

She didn't realize how strained it really was until now. She thought they'd actually made a breakthrough; she didn't know he'd been pushing his feelings down inside as well. She felt a pang of guilt at the thought; she had assumed if he'd had a problem, he'd say. No wonder he suddenly exploded. And she couldn't help but wonder if Nathan were here, would he have known there was a problem right away?

_**I** should have known,_ she thought bitterly. She'd been so preoccupied with everything going on at the lab, she failed to notice. She sighed as she fixed breakfast; not that she wanted to eat, but she thought a peace offering might at least coax Lucas out of bed.

She knocked on his door. "Lucas, are you awake? I made pancakes."

"I'm not hungry."

"I thought we talked about this; we weren't going to skip meals."

"We talked about a lot of things that never happened," he retorted.

Kristin ignored his comment. "I assume you're not coming to the lab today?"

"What was your first clue?"

She bit her tongue and shut her eyes for a moment before taking a deep breath. "Going to see your father, perhaps?"

After a pause, he replied, "I don't know."

"Right, well, if you leave, just be sure to lock the door. The spare key is on the hook on the wall if you need it. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call me. I'll just pop your plate into the microwave, and you can warm it up when you're ready."

She never heard a response, but she hadn't time to wait either. She placed his plate in the microwave, as promised, and then gathered her things together. She then heard the driver honk the horn. "I'm leaving now, Lucas. I'll see you later." And with that, she walked out the door, hoping that by evening, Lucas would be in a better mood.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**UEO Headquarters**

For a split second, General Frank Thomas tried to remember how he got here. When he'd first started out as a recruit, he'd never once imagined he'd end up with unclean hands. He shook his head. Oh, he wasn't the only one involved in this mess, but there were times he found himself disgusted by his own actions.

He was a mere puppet on a string by Dre's standards, but even if she weren't calling the shots, it seemed he'd have to do a few things he didn't particularly want to do or he'd have a lynch mob after him. Then again, he was pretty sure the rest of the brass weren't aware what was going on in their labs; he was sure Dre wasn't being forthcoming about that. And why would she be?

They'd already known when little problems arose, they were handled. That's why none of them questioned the incident in Washington. If this got out of hand, the plug would have to be pulled on the whole project…and that would mean bloodstains on all their hands. He couldn't let that happen.

He'd learned a long time ago he was more of a coward than he'd thought. He would stop at nothing to make sure his name stayed squeaky clean to any onlookers, even though it was quite the opposite. That would mean he'd lie, cheat, steal… _even kill_ …without remorse.

It was a shame about Kristin Westphalen, though. Not that he was having any remorse about her fate; quite the opposite. But he'd always found her very fetching, and if that damned Bridger hadn't had his sights on her, he might have stood a chance. But then he vaguely remembered getting slapped across the face when he'd asked her for a dance at the UEO ball. Of course, he'd been three sheets to the wind then, so it was likely he'd said something he probably shouldn't have.

Still, he hated to see her go, but with her out of the picture, that meant the Wolenczak kid would be off the boat. Then maybe the _seaQuest_ could take care of serious business rather than playing with dolphins and whatever else those science nuts were doing. _SeaQuest_ was a military vessel and it was about time everyone remembered that. Besides, once Noyce caught wind of the tragedy, the conspiracy theories would start that it might be a terrorist plot.

Thomas would make sure it _was_ proven to be a terrorist plot. Then the _seaQuest_ would be put back out to sea to deal with it. Everyone would forget about what had happened in the labs, and the day would be saved, at least as far as he was concerned. All he had to do was start the process…

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Pearl Harbor, UEO labs**

When Kristin arrived at the lab, she was relieved to see the reporters had dwindled down significantly, realizing there was no story. She was able to enter the building without being bombarded, at least.

"Good morning," Zoe greeted her when she entered the elevator. "I see you've made a point to be early today."

Kristin blushed. "Yes, I'm normally very punctual." She paused. "What do you think we'll be working on today?"

"Well, I know we'll have to check on the rats. I do that first thing in the morning. Would you like to help me?"

"I'd be happy to…at least until Dr. Cooper gets here."

As the elevator dinged, Zoe nodded. "Of course." As they entered the upstairs lab, Zoe handed her the tablet they used the day before. "All we need to do today is mark any changes in the spaces here." She pointed to an area on the tablet. "That includes physical and behavioral."

Kristin's brow furrowed. "What sort of behavioral changes would we see?"

Zoe laughed a bit. "I know; what's odd for a rat, right? But believe me, you can tell the difference. For example, you might notice one group may seem sluggish or another group may seem more energetic. Those are actually very significant, and it needs to be noted."

Kristin gave a nod of understanding.

"Great; let's get started then."

The two women walked through the doors to the animal room. But as soon as they entered, Zoe let out a low gasp.

"What's the matter?" Kristin asked, following her gaze to a cage in the corner.

"Edith and Archie," the younger woman muttered.

Kristin sighed. This is exactly what she wanted to avoid in working with animals; both rats were lying on their sides, obviously dead. Rigor mortis had already set in. "I thought this didn't happen often?"

"It doesn't," Zoe insisted. "But we do have occasional casualties." She glanced at Kristin. "I don't like it either, but this is actually an important result. If the dosage is harmful to rats, it's likely harmful to humans."

Kristin typed in the information next to the rat's names, but then heard a strange, wheezing sound. She turned to Zoe. "What's that?"

Both women began searching every cage until Kristin discovered where it was coming from: Alvin and Theodore's cage. Alvin had already met the same fate as Edith and Archie, and poor Theodore looked as though he wasn't far behind, gasping for breath.

Kristin slipped a glove on and immediately began removing the lid when Zoe placed a halting hand on her shoulder.

"You can't."

"Whyever not?" she asked, her eyebrows knitting together. "He's suffering."

"I…I know, but it's probably too late. Besides, we have no idea what went wrong. There could be contaminants. We just have to let nature take its course."

Kristin watched as the poor rat spun around clumsily and bumped his head on the side of the glass a few times before finally laying down, ceasing to move. She watched his tiny chest rise and fall once, twice…and then no more. "You call _this_ nature?" she scoffed.

"I know this isn't the type of work you're accustomed to," she said quietly, "but would you rather we'd be killing humans?"

Kristin was quiet for several minutes. She'd seen what happened when scientists began using humans as lab rats against their will. That's exactly what Zellar had done. She shuddered at the thought. "I…suppose not."

Zoe placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure he didn't suffer."

Kristin simply nodded, not in the mood to argue or protest.

Zoe gave her a smile. "Dr. Cooper should be here shortly, so we'd better finish up, hm?"

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

As they were finishing up, Neil stuck his head inside the room. "Good morning, ladies."

"Good morning," they replied.

"We're almost finished in here, Doctor," Zoe told him.

"Wonderful. How are they doing?"

"We had a few casualties, unfortunately," Kristin replied.

"Oh, dear; that's too bad. I suppose that means we'll need to make a few adjustments on our end and try again," he said, scratching his arm.

She entered the last bit of data into the tablet and passed it to Zoe before motioning to his arm. "It's still bothering you, I see."

He waved a hand. "Oh, it's much better today; the cream helped." He turned to Zoe. "The usual today, Zo."

She nodded as she walked out into the other part of the lab. "Yes, Doctor."

Neil then turned back to Kristin. "Are you ready to get started?"

"Of course; by the way, I wanted to thank you for helping me last night."

"It was no trouble at all. Now, let's see how much you remember, shall we?"

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Within a few hours, they'd created a new batch of live virus. It was then placed inside tubes so the Iron Giant could incubate and turn it as needed.

Neil seemed convinced this new batch would be the key to success, but Kristin was skeptical. "What if the rats have a bad reaction to this one as well? You said it yourself; time is of the essence. And I get the feeling these casualties happen more often than you or Zoe let on."

Neil sighed. "Fine, you caught us. It's just that when I realized how sensitive you'd be to it all, we decided to try and spare you. I am sorry."

She shrugged. "I guess I can't blame you. Working with live animals, I think I've forgotten what it's like."

"I just want to hope that every batch will be the _right_ one. I don't want to have to go back to the drawing board…not yet."

There was a quiet pause before it was suddenly interrupted by the unmistakable sound of glass breaking, causing Kristin to jump and let out a soft cry of surprise. They both turned to see the Iron Giant's claws crushing the virus tubes.

"Damn it!" Neil shouted. "You need to get out of here."

"But-"

"It could be dangerous." He grabbed her hand and pulled her out the door.

Once on the other side, he immediately locked the door. "We'll have to have a cleanup crew come in with hazmat suits." He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Are you all right?"

"I…think so."

He nodded. "Well, we'll have to watch for any signs now. Once the virus begins to incubate…well, I'm sure I don't need to tell you what can happen." He ushered her over to Zoe's station. "You can give her a hand for now." He turned to Zoe. "I need to see about getting that mess cleaned up."

"Yes, Doctor," Zoe replied.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Kristin was in a bit of a daze for a few moments, shocked over what happened. It finally registered Zoe was speaking to her. "I'm sorry?"

Zoe smiled and placed a hand over hers. "I asked if you were all right. You look a little shaken up."

"I'm fine. It just happened so fast. That machine…does it often malfunction like that?"

"We've had several debates about that," she replied.

"We've all told him it's a hunk of junk," Oscar added.

"Dr. Cooper insists that the Iron Giant is the breakthrough of the future, but it causes more problems than it's worth." She shook her head. "This isn't the first time something like this has happened."

"Oh, dear…" Kristin muttered. "But what would be the alternative?"

"Humans," Zoe replied simply. "We'd have to place the vials of live virus inside an incubation room and we'd have to go inside at different intervals to turn them. A bit time consuming, perhaps, but at least there'd be less margin for error." She sighed. "But it is what it is." She motioned to the diagram she was looking at. "You're familiar with rhinovirus, I assume?"

Kristin nodded. "Of course."

"Well, what we're doing is-"

Suddenly, they heard a loud crash coming from outside the room. They all exchanged worried glances.

Zoe bit her lip. "So who's going to go check on him?"

"Not me," came the chorus of replies.

Kristin's brow furrowed. "This happens often?"

"When things get hectic, Dr. Cooper tends to get a bit…clumsy. He probably just tripped and fell," Zoe explained. "But he might need a little help. I guess that's my cue."

But Kristin put a hand on her shoulder. "I can check on him."

"You're sure?"

She nodded. "Besides, I'd think if he's in an awkward position, he'd be less embarrassed around me."

"You're probably right."

Kristin gave her a smile. "I'll be right back."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Kristin walked towards Neil's office and knocked gently on the open door before entering. However, what she saw immediately caused her to gasp, for standing before her was Neil holding a scalpel, his arm covered in blood. "What?" she managed to choke out.

"Kristin? It…it's not what it looks like." He brought the scalpel to the spot on his inner elbow that had been bothering him and dug the scalpel in, letting out a wince of pain. "I…I have to get it out, or something awful will happen. I…I can't…"

She stood frozen for a brief second before coming to her senses. "You're…you're not making any sense. You have to get what out?" She moved closer to him, but he backed away, holding the scalpel out towards her.

" _Don't_ come near me. It…it's not safe. They're trying to stop it."

"Who? And what are they trying to stop?" Kristin begged.

Neil suddenly began struggling against an unknown assailant, it seemed. He suddenly lurched forward, his hands on his desk. "I…will not succumb!" he choked out, breathing heavily.

Kristin watched in horror as he moved the scalpel back to cut deeper into his arm. "What should I do?" she finally asked. "How can I help you?"

He shook his head, letting out a wail that sounded like a wounded animal. "Get away. It's not safe. You…you have nothing to do with this. Save yourself before it's too late!"

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Kristin obediently retreated from the office and then leaned up against the wall, taking several deep breaths in an effort to calm down. She heard another anguished cry coming from Neil's office, which forced her to go back to the others.

All eyes turned to her as soon as she ran inside. Zoe was at her side in a moment. "Kristin? You look like you've seen a ghost. Are you all right?"

She shook her head. "Dr. Cooper…he…he…"

At that moment, the lab door swung open, and standing there was Dr. Cooper, holding a .45 caliber handgun, his eyes glazed over.

"Doctor?" Zoe said in shock.

Kristin, however, stepped forward, pushing Zoe behind her. "Neil, whatever it is, we…we can talk about it. I'm not sure where you got that, but you…you need to put it away before something bad happens." She carefully tried to approach him, but he noticed and pointed the gun straight at her. She held up her hands. "Please, don't do this."

"I told you I wouldn't be able to stop it," he told her. "I told you to get away. You were never apart of this, and now, it's too late."

"You don't have to do this, Neil." He cocked the gun, still aiming it at her. "Please, don't do this," she pleaded, her voice trembling.

"I'm sorry you got wrapped up in this," he told her, his own tears falling. "I am so sorry." He then fired the gun, and everyone let out a shout, ducking for cover.

It took Kristin a brief moment to realize she hadn't been the one to be shot. The bullet had whizzed just past her ear, landing directly in Zoe's neck. Kristin gasped when she noticed the young girl covered in blood, struggling to breathe. She moved to her side, taking her hand.

"I…I…" Zoe choked out.

Kristin could do nothing but stroke the girl's hair and try to whisper comforting words to her. "It's…it's going to be all right."

Neil fired another shot into Zoe's chest, causing Kristin to cry out again. "I told you to get away," he told her. "Get away, or you'll meet the same fate."

Kristin ran to the door as she heard another shot. She tried to flee but then realized she'd dropped her security keycard somewhere. She immediately hit the floor, scrambling to find it when she noticed who'd met the same fate as Zoe: Oscar. She covered her mouth, stifling a cry as she hid beneath one of the lab tables.

She then listened as she heard the others being shot one by one before she heard Neil's footsteps come towards her. She covered her mouth with her hand, trying not to cry out in fright when she looked up and saw him staring at her.

"I…I lost my key," she choked out. "I…" She didn't know what else to say, nor did she know if he even registered it. She had thought he was staring at her, but then noticed that wasn't the case. He was looking past her.

He then brought the gun to the side of his head. "I'm sorry," he said before taking his own life.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

She didn't know how much time had passed before she heard the door open. It could have been hours or just a few minutes. However, she couldn't bring herself to come out from under that table.

"Jesus," she heard a male voice mutter. "What the hell happened in here? It looks like a slaughterhouse."

"You can say that again," another voice replied.

After a pause, the first voice said, "Did you hear that?"

"Yeah…" A kindly looking police officer appeared before her. "Hey, you okay?"

She simply shook her head, burying her head in her hands. She felt strong arms go around her.

"We need a medic…and probably a psychologist too."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Somehow, she was able to come to compose herself enough to talk to the doctor and the investigators. After a short while, one of the other officers came in from outside. "Uh, we've got a kid out here insisting he needs to see you," he said to Kristin.

"Lucas?" she asked hopefully.

"I think that's what he said his name was."

She stood and nodded, moving to go outside. "He's my… I'm his guardian."

As soon as he saw her, Lucas ran into her arms. "I'm so happy to see you," he cried. "I saw the report on the news and…. I'm sorry for what I said."

"Shh," she said through her own tears. "It's all right."

 


	13. I Can't Believe The Price You Pay

**Australia**

Larry let out a dissatisfied groan as he felt someone tap him on the calf. He scarcely opened one blackened eye and saw Mason looking down at him.

"How are you feeling?"

"How does it look?" he retorted dryly.

Mason sat down on the bed next to him. "Hey, I had told you to watch your back around Bourne. I might be your bodyguard, but you got what you deserved in this case." He paused and gave him a look. "What exactly did he do to you anyway?"

"We three had a little blanket party, Armand, Bourne, and I…and I was the unfortunate guest of honor."

"Ouch."

Larry shrugged. "I'll live. I just didn't know Bourne was watching everything. He never said."

"And you're surprised by that?" Mason asked, raising a brow. "You should know by now he doesn't share every detail of his plan with anyone; I think he likes it that way."

Larry nodded quietly. "I just don't think _he_ deserves it."

"What?"

"Bridger." He shook his head. "I don't think he deserves it."

Mason put a hand on Larry's forehead. "You got a fever or something? That's just crazy talk."

"No, I haven't got a fever." He pushed Mason's hand away. "I don't know… There was just something about him."

"Yeah, he's UEO," Mason said flatly.

"That's not what I meant." He sighed. "It's just the minute I met him, I could tell there was something…different. He's not like the guys at the labs."

"Just because he wasn't there pulling the trigger doesn't mean a damn thing. He's just as guilty as they are."

Larry crossed his arms and gave a huff. "Whatever."

After a beat, Mason asked, "You're not going soft on us, are you?"

"No, of course not. I still hate the UEO…the ones responsible for what happened to us. I want them to fry. I want them to pay. But Bridger? I don't think he's one of them."

"We already know he was involved with the GELF experiments."

"I don't think that means anything."

Mason was quiet for several minutes. "You want some aspirin?"

"That'd be nice. My nose feels like it's the size of Jupiter."

"Looks like it too," he said with a smile. "I'll also bring you some ice." He paused in the doorway. "You know it's too late to turn back, even if you're right. We can't really undo it now."

Larry gave a nod. "I know."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Once alone, Larry glanced towards the bedside table. The TV remote was just out of his reach. Frowning, he gingerly scooted over, wincing in pain every step of the way, until he was able to pick up the remote. He gave a happy sigh of victory, turned the television on, and began flipping through channels.

A few minutes later, Mason reentered the room, holding a tray with a bottle of aspirin, an ice bag, and a plate of food. "You almost look too comfortable," he quipped.

"Might as well enjoy it while it lasts." He nodded his head towards the tray. "That for me too?"

"I thought you might be hungry." He set the tray on the bed in front of him and then took a seat next to him. "Anything good on?"

"Ah, the usual. I remembered why I don't watch TV that much. Oh, wait…" He turned the volume up. "This looks interesting."

Mason glanced at the screen where an announcer was talking about a murder-suicide incident in the United States. "Stuff that like that happens every day."

"Not in the UEO labs," Larry pointed out. "And it says it's the second one this week." He exchanged a look with Mason. "You don't think that's anything to worry about, do you?"

He shrugged. "Why would it be? It doesn't mean anything."

"You sure about that? Come on, two murder-suicide incidents happen at UEO labs…labs where _classified_ experiments were happening. You know what they were doing there."

"So? Still doesn't mean a thing. There are dozens of other labs doing the same damned thing."

"But you also know what it _could_ mean. We've seen it happen before. Secret military operations do it all the time. When it's time to shut the program down, they have to make sure there are no witnesses, no little rats around to leak out the secrets." He motioned to the screen as his brow furrowed. "Come on; you're telling me it doesn't raise any red flags?"

Mason thought for a moment. "I won't rule it out, but two labs gone is nothing. You know Bourne won't get worried about it."

"I'm not saying he will. If I know him, he probably knows about this already. But if more labs go down, we'll know for sure."

"Okay, but I still don't see what the big deal is. That'll actually be better. They try to destroy all the evidence, and we show up out of the blue and expose them at their own game. It's perfect."

Larry shook his head. "You're forgetting one major thing. If they shut the program down, what happens to our meds?"

Mason bit his lip. "I hadn't thought of that."

"Last I checked, we only had enough between the four of us to last six months. And now with Bridger added to the mix…that'll get us through three or four, maybe. I don't know about you, but I don't exactly have the means to start mixing up a new batch of the stuff."

Mason held up his hands. "Just calm down for a minute. You're describing the worst-case scenario. As I said, two labs is nothing. And if they are trying to kill the program, I'm sure Bourne has a plan."

"I certainly hope so…or we're all dead."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Pearl Harbor, UEO Headquarters**

General Frank Thomas smiled to himself, quite proud he'd saved the UEO from disaster. Why, the brass might even give him a medal for this; they were indebted to him now for saving their behinds. He gave a happy sigh and leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head. He then heard familiar footsteps and looked up to see the secretary general herself enter his office.

"Hello, Frank," she said with a smile.

He rose and walked around to meet her. "You must be here to congratulate me. Well, there's really no need. You told me to handle it, and I did." He held up his hands. "And don't worry about Noyce. I know he's going to flip about Dr. Westphalen, but, well, she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time." He took a few steps towards the window, his hands behind his back. "I'm sure the brass is pleased."

"Well, I-"

"I'm sure they're deliberating as we speak about an award."

"Oh, they're deliberating all right," she replied.

"I think I've decided to tell them there's no need. I don't need any fancy ceremonies. A bigger office might be a nice compromise. And perhaps a hefty bonus. But we can work all the details out later. Did they want to see me themselves?"

Dre watched him quietly as he spoke, still wearing the same secretive smile on her face. When he looked at her, she asked, "Are you quite finished with your delusional fantasies?"

"What?" he asked, somewhat taken aback.

She moved to stand next to him, placing an arm around her shoulder. "What have I always said is the most important thing when it comes to work?"

"Uh…"

She sighed. "Frank, Frank, Frank, you should always, _always_ check your work. How many times do I have to say it?"

"I…I did. According to the computer-"

She narrowed her eyes. "You didn't watch the surveillance footage from the lab, did you?"

He shook his head quietly.

"That should have been the first thing you should have done: to make sure everything went according to plan. You don't pull the trigger and then close your eyes, hoping the bullet makes it where you've aimed. Of course not! You keep your eyes opened and make sure it's gone where you need." She brought her lips close to his ear and whispered, "You closed your eyes, Frank. Dr. Westphalen lived."

He shut his eyes tightly. "Now what do we do?"

She gave a slight laugh. "You're asking me, Mr. Hero? You're lucky the brass is even allowing you to keep _this_ office at the rate you're going." She shook her head. "But as usual, I'm one step ahead of you. NCIS is on their way to speak with her right now…a special team of agents selected by yours truly." She gave him a knowing smile.

He let out the breath he was holding in, relieved. "I don't know how I'll ever thank you."

"You can start by groveling at my feet because if the brass had their way, your office would be in the janitor's closet now."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Pearl Harbor**

The ride back to the condo was quiet. Kristin had spent the greater part of the day answering questions for the police, and she was literally drained. Lucas seemed to know this, so he was kind enough not to push her to talk, though he held her hand the whole way back to the building.

As soon as they walked in the door, she made a bee-line for the bathroom. "I'm taking a quick shower," she told him as she closed the door.

She quickly stripped off her bloodstained shirt, giving a slight shudder as images from the shooting flickered through her mind. She really hadn't had time to really grieve, to really even think about what had happened. It had barely registered that Neil was dead, that she'd never see him again. And Zoe and the others…

Crying quietly, she turned the shower on and stepped inside. Part of her wished she could crawl in bed and try to forget everything, but that wasn't going to happen…not yet. NCIS agents were on their way, since the investigation was now theirs. That meant another thousand questions she'd have to answer before she got a chance to try to deal with everything. She sighed and washed quickly. As she redressed, she couldn't wait for the day to be over.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Lucas inhaled sharply as he watched her walk out of the bathroom. He didn't realize until now how frail she had looked up until then. Her face looked pale, and her eyes were puffy and red, ringed with dark circles. The t-shirt she wore hung loosely, indicating she'd lost some weight. Had she even eaten this morning?

 _Had you come out of the bedroom, you'd know,_ he thought glumly, still feeling guilty for what had happened between them. Still, the doc seemed to be fine about that. At least she said she was.

"I made coffee," he said quietly. "I figured you might want some."

"That was sweet of you. Yes, please."

He took a cup out of the cabinet and poured her a cup. He watched her hands shake slightly as she reached out to take it from him. His heart sank, though he tried not to let on that he noticed. He simply walked to the fridge to get her the cream.

"Thank you," she said as he set it down in front of her. For a moment, the only sound was the light tinking of her spoon against the ceramic as she mixed the milk into her coffee. She took a sip and eyed him carefully for a moment. "You know, you don't need to be here."

"What?"

"For the meeting," she replied. "You could go for a walk or call Ben or-"

"I don't need to, really. I'm fine. I can go play a game in my room or something, but I'd like to be here in case you need me." He paused. "But you do have a point about calling someone. Does Admiral Noyce even know?"

She sighed. "I don't know, but I'm sure he'll call when he does. I-"

At that moment, there was a knock at the door.

"Guess that's my cue to leave," Lucas told her. "If you need anything, just shout."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Kristin took a deep breath before opening the door; she found three agents on her doorstep, two men and one woman.

"Dr. Westphalen?" the woman asked.

"Yes," she replied.

"Hi," the woman said with a smile, holding out her hand in greeting. "I'm Dr. Maureen Downs."

Kristin took her hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise, thank you." She then motioned to the man standing next to her. "This is Special Agent Adam Reid and Special Agent Roger Collins."

"Hello," Kristin said. "Come in, please." She allowed them to follow her inside. "Have a seat." She motioned to the table. "Can I get anyone coffee?"

"Oh, no need," Agent Reid said. He motioned to the empty chair. "Have a seat, please. We just want to talk, and we don't really want to keep you any longer than necessary."

She nodded quietly and obliged. "I can't say I don't appreciate it. Forgive me for saying, but it's been a hell of a day."

"Of course," Dr. Downs said. "You've just been through something extremely traumatic." She reached out and put her hand over Kristin's.

She eyed the other woman for a moment. "Doctor of what?"

"Excuse me?"

"I was wondering what your field of study was."

"Oh, I'm a clinical psychologist. Considering your situation, the agents here thought I might be of assistance." She looked towards them. "In fact, maybe you two could leave us alone for a little bit? I'd like to speak to Dr. Westphalen alone for a few minutes."

The two did as they were asked and stepped outside.

"So you're here for grief counseling?" Kristin said flatly. "Well, you're just a little too late for that."

Dr. Downs gave her a sympathetic smile. "I am well aware of what happened at Elysium Colony. I am sorry for your loss."

Kristin simply gave a nod.

The doctor took a file folder out of her bag. "You have a very interesting security clearance here. Were you aware that Dr. Cooper had applied for it?"

"Not initially; he'd told me after the fact." She gave a shake of her head. "Forgive me, I'd really just like to know what exactly that has to do with anything. Are…are you saying Neil had something to do with this? That he planned this?"

The doctor held up her hands. "I'm not saying anything of the sort. We're just here to find out what happened. We're just trying to piece the clues together, and the fact that he applied for such a high security clearance level for you is rather strange, considering no one else working at the lab besides himself had such a clearance."

Her brow furrowed. "He never said."

"Did you ever read it?"

"Of course I read it. If you're asking if I understand my disclosure restrictions, yes, I have PhD's in medicine and biochemistry, as well as a post-doctorate fellowship in oceanography, so yes, I know how to read. What I don't understand is how my friend and colleague has a psychotic episode and shoots everyone in the lab. It just…it doesn't make sense. I just want to know what in the hell happened."

"What do you think happened?"

She shook her head. "I think I'd just like to stop thinking for a while. I…I can't wrap my head around it."

"Have you shared your feelings with anyone about this?"

She crossed her arms over her chest. "In the past few hours?"

"You've obviously had a lot of stress in your life lately. Did you speak to anyone about that? Your friends, co-workers? Lucas, Ben, Malcolm, your daughter, Cynthia?"

Her mouth fell open. "Wow. Okay, I see; you're into everything. I didn't realize this was DEFCON 4. Anything off-limits?"

"As I said, you have an interesting security clearance."

"I had nothing to do with this. I thought this was an investigation, not a trial."

"We're just trying to piece things together. Have you discussed the details of the incident with anyone other than the investigators?"

"No."

"And you said you'd only known Dr. Cooper for a total of four or five months?"

"Give or take."

"So you wouldn't say you knew him well?"

Kristin sighed. "If you're asking me if I knew the ins and outs of his psychological history, no, I didn't. But I _knew_ him. Call it intuition or whatever you like, but Neil…he wasn't…" She took a breath. "The man in that lab wasn't him."

"Did you and Dr. Cooper have a romantic relationship?"

"What?" Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "No, of…of course not. We were friends… _just_ friends."

Dr. Downs folded her hands together. "Did you ever visit his apartment?"

"I just told you-"

"Please, just answer the question, Doctor."

"No…but I just told you-"

"Investigators found materials in his apartment that indicate that he had a very unusual fixation with you. Photographs, personal and online journal entries…a few articles of clothing…"

"W-what? I…he…we never…" Kristin stammered in shock. "He…he was here last night." She held up her hands. "It was nothing romantic. We were studying."

"Studying?"

She nodded. "Dr. Cooper was helping me learn more about virology."

"Did you invite him over?"

"No, he just showed up uninvited."

"But you didn't turn him away either?"

"We were friends," she said again. "He…he had invited me to dinner earlier that day, and I'd told him no. And then he just showed up with takeout. I…I never thought…" She lowered her gaze to the floor.

After a moment, Dr. Downs placed a hand over hers. "Look, no one is suggesting you're responsible for what happened."

Kristin let out a breath. "Oh, thank you. That's what I'd been trying to tell you. I-"

"However, survivors often experience feelings of guilt. Those feelings can be amplified by the realization that he let you live."

Kristin shook her head in disgust. "Have you seen the video? Is that what you think happened? You…you are asking all the wrong questions."

"What do you think we should be asking then?"

"Dr. Cooper's behavior was… He kept rambling on about things I didn't understand. He…he was trying to cut open his own arm for goodness sake! Has…has anyone looked at his blood work?"

A brow rose. "And what would that show us?"

Kristin lowered her voice. "Do you have any idea what they…what we…were doing in there? I…I'm not even sure I know. I was told genetic alterations. That man on the video; that's not the man I knew. He…he'd never try to hurt anyone. He was… He acted as though he was trying to fight…whatever it was that was happening to him. What we do at the lab, as I understand it, is behavioral design…programmable behavior, neural design. Do…do you understand what I'm telling you? I think…maybe…he was exposed to something at the lab, perhaps. A vial broke. I…I was there too, but I-"

Suddenly, another knock sounded at the door. Dr. Downs gave Kristin a look. "Were you expecting anyone?"

Kristin shook her head as she crossed to the door. "I promise whoever it is won't disrupt your investigation." She opened the door to see Bill. "Admiral?"

He walked inside. "Thank goodness you're all right. Lucas?"

"He's in his room," Kristin replied. "I…I would have called you, but…" She motioned to Dr. Downs.

"Admiral Noyce, wonderful to see you." Dr. Downs stood and held out her hand in greeting.

Bill shook her hand but said, "I'm sorry; do I know you?"

"Dr. Maureen Downs, NCIS clinical psychologist. We've never met in person, but I know of you. Secretary General Dre told me a lot about you."

"I see; the secretary general sent you here?"

"We're running an investigation, my partners and I. I had asked them to step outside so I could speak with her one on one."

"Understandable." He turned to Kristin. "Just what the hell happened there?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out, Admiral," Agent Reid said, stepping back inside, followed by Agent Collins.

"Well, if Dr. Downs would let me get a word in edgewise, perhaps you'd already know," Kristin said flatly.

"We've already gotten your statements from the police," Dr. Downs replied. "We're mainly here to be sure we can maintain that you're safe and well before we continue." She eyed Admiral Noyce. "I want to sign off on this, but frankly, I can't ensure she's well. She's just been through something terribly traumatic, and she's been somewhat uncooperative."

"Excuse me? I…I've been nothing of the sort!" Kristin said.

Admiral Noyce put up a halting hand. "I've already spoken to the secretary general myself."

Dr. Downs raised an eyebrow. "You have?"

"Yes," he said with a nod, "and we've already decided the safest place for the doctor is the _seaQuest_. She'll be back in the water tomorrow, and Dr. Levin will resume full responsibility of her care." He looked at the agents. "Of course, if you need her for any more questioning, she'll just be a vid-phone call away."

"I see," Dr. Downs replied with a slight frown. "If that's what the secretary general wants. Just as long as you know to keep what you saw confidential." She looked at Kristin.

"As I said, I understand my disclosure restrictions."

"Good, as long as we have an understanding." She gave the two a cordial nod. "Then I believe our work here is done." She called to the other agents, "Gentlemen, we're finished here."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

As soon as the agents left, Kristin turned to Bill. "You decided all this without even discussing it with me?"

Bill held up his hands. "For your own safety, yes. Look, we don't know what's going on here, but considering this is the second incident at one of our labs, I think it's safe to say that the labs are not the best place to be right now." He placed his hands on her shoulders. "I've already lost one friend; I don't want to lose any more."

She lowered her gaze. "I don't want you to either. It's just…it's all happening so fast." She sighed and paced a few steps. "Are you aware what goes on in the experimental programs?"

"What?"

"Just out of curiosity."

"If you're asking me if I saw the surveillance video, yes. If you're asking me if I know what's going on in every one of our labs, no. I don't really oversee the research there, just like I don't oversee the research done on _seaQuest._ It's more autonomous. Why?"

She shook her head. "Just curious. It…it doesn't matter now. So, um, what time should we be at the docks tomorrow?"

"Oh, no, you're not getting off that easily."

"What?"

"Are you all right?"

She gave a shrug of her shoulders. "I don't know yet. I haven't gotten a chance to really think about it. It's just…a shock."

"And Lucas?"

"He wasn't there. As far as I know, he's fine. Perhaps a bit shaken, but…I'm glad he wasn't there."

Bill nodded. "Well, you two aren't staying here alone tonight. Janet insists you two stay with us."

"Oh, Admiral…we couldn't possibly intrude. I-"

"You won't be intruding. You don't have to even come out of your room if you don't want, but with everything going on, we just want you to be safe. And you have to think of Lucas too. I think this is the best thing for everyone."

"We'll need a little time to pack, and I'll have to call Malcolm and explain to him about the house…"

"I can call him while you pack. And I'll talk to Lucas as well."

She gave a quiet nod, too drained to argue. "Thank you."

Bill gave her a hug. "You're welcome."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**UEO Headquarters**

Secretary General Dre frowned as she paced in front of the room. "We need to make a decision, people."

"I thought you said you had it handled?" General Mitchell asked.

"I did…until Noyce stuck his nose into it."

"Have you ever thought to let him in on things?" the general asked. "Considering his support for the GELF experiments back then…"

"He'd never go for it. Since Nathan Bridger came back to command, Billy's been too military and squeaky clean. He's suddenly found his morals again." She gave a shake of her head. "It would never work."

"You should have never called your dogs off," Admiral Anthony Lockwood muttered. "Had your agents done what they set out to do in the first place…"

Dre crossed her arms and shot him a glare. "We already established why I called it off. Too many witnesses for one thing. And Bill insisted on paying her a visit before they could finish the job. Things just got too messy." She shook her head. "I think this calls for drastic measures."

"Shutting the program down?" he asked.

"Bingo. I hate to do it, but if we don't…it's too risky."

"But what about Dr. Westphalen?" General Thomas piped up. "How do we know she won't squeal?"

Dre gave a smile. "I've got a few tricks up my sleeve. I can have her in a straitjacket and a padded room in a minute if I have to. As it is now, she could be mentally unstable. No, I might not be able to destroy her, but I can certainly destroy her career. Though Dr. Downs made it clear that she signed a disclosure contract."

After several moments of silence, Thomas asked, "How do we go about destroying the program without it looking suspicious?"

"Not to worry; we've had that planned from the very beginning."


	14. Nothing Can Save You

**Pearl Harbor**

"Come in now; don't be shy."

Kristin filed in through the door behind Lucas, but despite Janet Noyce's warm smile, she couldn't help but feel somewhat awkward. She'd only met the woman a handful of times at various formal UEO functions, and she'd always been very kind to her. She just couldn't help but feel out of place.

"Lucas, you'll be in Bill Jr's room. You remember where it is, don't you?"

"You bet," Lucas said with a grin as he bounded up the stairs with his bags.

Janet then turned to Kristin. "Lucas stayed here for a couple of weeks before the _seaQuest_ launched," she explained. "You, my dear, will be in Ginny's room. I hope you'll find it comfortable."

"I'm sure it will be just fine," Kristin replied.

Janet picked up one of her bags. "Follow me then."

Kristin followed her up the stairs and down a hallway.

"Here we are," Janet said when they'd reached the last door on the left. She waited for Kristin to enter first and followed in behind her. "I hope you like sunflowers."

The room was neat and tidy, and there were sunflower accents everywhere: sunflowers on the curtains, on the bedspread, and a matching border on the walls.

"Ginny says they make her feel happy," Janet continued.

"It's lovely," Kristin replied quietly, setting her bag down. She didn't mind the sunflowers at all, though it was going to take more than that to lift her spirits.

Janet gave a gentle nod. "Well, the bathroom's right across the hall. We usually eat dinner around seven; I hope that's all right. You just make yourself at home, and if you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask."

"Do you need any help with dinner? I could-"

"Oh, no, sweetheart. I mean, I appreciate the offer, but you've been through so much already. Lucas can help me." She sighed and pulled Kristin into a hug.

Kristin was somewhat taken aback, but she accepted and hugged her back.

After a few seconds, Janet broke the hug. "I hope you don't mind; you just look like you needed that. You…you just relax now." She reached over and tucked a stray curl behind Kristin's ear. "If you need to talk, though, I'm here for you."

"Thank you. I appreciate it."

"You're very welcome. Get some rest."

Kristin watched her leave, closing the door behind her. She then looked at her bags. There was really no sense in unpacking, but she didn't feel like resting either. Not sleeping anyway. She was exhausted, but she doubted sleep was going to come very easy for her. She sighed and rummaged through one of her bags, pulling out her laptop.

So many questions ran through her mind, mainly about what happened with Neil. She shuddered slightly at the thought and then gave a shake of her head in an effort to keep focused again. Neil had been trying to tell her something; she just wasn't sure what. The NCIS agents were of no help whatsoever; she still couldn't wrap her head around that one: the way the doctor spoke to her and the fact they left so quickly once the admiral arrived.

Certainly, she didn't understand NCIS procedure and protocol, but she couldn't help but feel something had been off about that as well. Something just didn't match up with any of this. First, Elysium Colony, then the lab in Washington DC, and now the lab here? Were they all connected, or was it just a tragic coincidence?

Although her efforts might be futile, she had to try to find out. She wasn't even sure what she was looking for, but since she had that little disclosure contract hanging over her head, she couldn't exactly bring Lucas into this mess. She wasn't even sure she could bring the admiral in. Just why would Neil have requested such a high alert security clearance for her anyway?

The answers had to be here somewhere. Thank goodness Lucas had a wi-fi hotspot device that he carried with him at all times. At least she didn't have to go ask Bill and Janet for their password; it would only lead to more questions and the reminder that she should be resting. She brought up her Internex browser and stared at the blinking cursor for a few minutes, unsure of where to start. Finally, she decided to key in the most perplexing thing in all this: Neil's arm. She typed: trying to get a foreign object out of arm.

Of course, most of the webpages that showed up were from medical sites and advice on removing foreign objects from the skin. A few pages in, however, she found something on alien abductions and planting foreign objects into the body and other similar conspiracy theories. Although she was a woman of science, she suddenly felt like she might be onto something. Not that all conspiracy theories were fact, but some were based on facts. Some were even true; they just hadn't been proven.

She immediately modified her search to: conspiracy theories for foreign objects in the body. No, she knew if she was going to go to the UEO with concrete evidence for what had happened, she certainly could not use conspiracy theories. However, they might be able to help her narrow her own research down; perhaps she'd find something more concrete.

Immediately, she found a forum discussion entitled 'Would you take the chip?' Basically, it was a forum speculating about the future and what would happen if the government or some other body made a microchip available for humans. As she skimmed the posts, some of them were actually well-thought out. Some mentioned how a relative with Alzheimer's might benefit from such a tracking device or how a kidnapped child could easily be found.

Kristin didn't think Neil had been implanted with a tracking device, but the microchip theory…was it possible? She'd only saw it for a brief moment, but the way his arm had swollen up, creating that lump. It didn't look like any insect bite she'd ever seen.

She modified her search once again: human microchip conspiracy theories. Suddenly, a whole slew of websites came up, all discussing possible government cover-ups, insisting that human microchips do indeed exist, etc. She clicked on one of the pages and began reading, still unsure of what exactly she was looking for. But whatever had been in his arm, Neil had desperately wanted it out. Maybe it _was_ a microchip of some sort? The UEO, like any government entity, had secrets, a hidden agenda. Nathan himself had told her that. She'd witnessed it as well…only a few times, but that was enough for her to consider the likelihood of its existence. It certainly could be possible…

A sudden knock on the door caused her to jump. She shut her laptop lid. "It's open."

Bill opened the door and walked inside. "I hope I'm not bothering you. Janet said you were getting settled, but I wanted to check for myself. Do you mind if we talked for a bit?"

"Not at all," she replied. "I wasn't really resting anyway. If I do that, I'll start thinking." She gave a shake of her head. "I'm not quite ready for that yet."

Bill took a seat next to her on the bed. "Do you want to tell me what happened in there?"

"Am I allowed? Apparently, my security clearance is very unique."

"So I've heard. I promise this is _off_ the record. This isn't a conversation between Dr. Westphalen and Admiral Noyce. This is a conversation between Kristin and Bill…that is, if you want."

She nodded quietly and lowered her gaze to the floor. "Did you know Dr. Cooper well?"

"No. I'd only met him a few times," he admitted. "But from what I did know of him, he didn't seem like the type to…" His voice trailed off.

"He wasn't," she said. She sighed, nervously wringing her hands. "I…I know that Dr. Downs tried to insist I just didn't know him well enough, but… I just know he wouldn't do that. He was a doctor…a virologist. He believed in the Hippocratic Oath wholeheartedly. He'd never…" She stood and began pacing. "And I can't possibly believe he had a strange fascination with me. For all I know, he was gay."

Bill's brow furrowed. "What?"

"Dr. Downs…she claimed that when they searched Neil's apartment, they…they found he had some sort of crush on me. They said they found photographs, journal entries, articles of clothing." She shook her head. "Yet they didn't show me a single shred of evidence. I realize I'm not sure how NCIS investigations work, but…"

"They seemed off, didn't they?" he interrupted.

She stopped pacing and looked at him. "You noticed it too?"

He held up his hands. "I don't want to make any accusations, but I found it a bit strange they were so eager to leave as soon as I showed up."

"I have a feeling if you hadn't, something horrible might have happened." She lowered her voice. "They knew things, Bill…they…they'd researched me. They knew my contacts. They talked about Malcolm…even Cynthia." She inhaled sharply. "You…you don't think she's in danger? I…I should probably speak to her. I-"

Bill stood and put his hands on her shoulders. "What does your daughter do for a living again?"

"She's a nutritionist; she travels to help educate other nations about nutrition. Last I spoke with her, she was in South America. That was last month."

"You can go right ahead and call her if you like, but I'm sure she's fine. I don't think they mean her any harm."

"But…but they knew things," she repeated, her voice trembling slightly.

Bill pulled her into his arms. "Maybe talking about this wasn't the best idea after all."

"If I don't talk to someone, I'm going to burst," she whispered. "There's something not right here."

"I agree with you," he said, pulling back to look at her. "That's exactly why you're here and why _seaQuest_ is shipping out tomorrow. You'll be safe."

"But what about…"

"For now, I don't think we should let on we know anything. I promise you I'll be looking into it, but you…" He let out a sigh. "You really need to take some time to rest. Call Cynthia if you need, but I think you're wasting your time trying to analyze everything else right now. We simply don't have enough evidence."

She gave a quiet nod. "I just...I don't know what else to do."

"Sometimes, waiting is the only thing you can do," he replied. "We can talk more about this another time. As I said, I'll be looking into it."

"Thank you."

"Of course. You rest now…or we'll both feel Janet's wrath. See you at dinner."

Kristin watched him leave and then sat down on the bed, feeling rather defeated on the matter. Perhaps Bill was right; all she could do was wait, even if it was rather excruciating. She then glanced at the vid-phone. Ensuring that Cynthia was fine would help put her mind at ease somewhat; she punched in her number, hoping she was available.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Australia**

Nathan had read through the file several times over, and he still couldn't believe it. The UEO had been experimenting on humans this whole time in order to create the perfect soldier. He wondered how many groups there were. According to the documents, there was at least one research group for every lab. The UEO had several labs all over the world…at least fifty, he guessed, if not more. He really had no idea how many they owned. How did they manage to keep this secret for so long?

He sighed. The same way they'd kept the GELF experiments under wraps, he guessed. Anything could be covered up if the UEO wanted it. Soldiers are so eager to please, and they'll do anything they're told. He gave a disgusted grunt. He'd been one of them long ago, so he understood how it could happen. He just didn't know who all was involved. Did Bill even know?

He shook his head. He hoped not. Bill would never keep something like this from him, would he? He paced around his cell, wondering what to do now. What exactly did Bourne want? They were pumping him up with viruses and drugs, he surmised, just like they had been. But for what? Were they planning to use him against the UEO? He didn't quite understand how that would work.

"I'm disappointed I don't get to see you in action," Bourne said with a click of his tongue.

Nathan turned to him. He'd been so wrapped up in his own thoughts, he hadn't heard him approaching.

"All through with your reading material?" he taunted.

Nathan gave a nod. "I agree, it was quite interesting."

Bourne gave a sneer. "Armand tells me you still claim innocence on the matter."

"I really had no idea."

"Hmm…then you get to witness their corruption firsthand." He held up a packet of green pills. "You're graduating today."

His brow furrowed. "So fast?"

"Normally, we wouldn't start you so soon," he admitted. "But it seems we've had a wrench thrown into our plans." He tossed a newspaper at his feet.

Nathan picked it up and looked at the front page. "Murder-suicides at UEO labs?" he questioned.

"Surely, you don't think that's coincidental," Bourne said. Then upon seeing the look he was giving him, he gave a shake of his head. "Open your eyes, Bridger; you can't really be that blind."

Nathan skimmed the article in front of him, but he was still confused. "I'm not sure what you're getting at."

"The UEO is a very crafty puppet master, and when things get a little too close for comfort, it pulls strings." He paused. "They're trying to shut the program down. This is just the tip of the iceberg. In a week or two, there'll be so many murder-suicides, investigators won't know what to do. They're probably in on the whole thing as well. So much corruption. Tsk-tsk. Not to worry, though; we have a plan; they won't know what hit them when we're ready to unleash it."

A brow rose. "And that is?"

Bourne ignored his question. "You need to start on these. One every hour." He tossed him a stopwatch.

"But what-"

"You'll experience some side effects, though I don't think you'll need to worry about the increased energy this time. Don't worry; the illness only lasts for a short while."

Nathan swallowed hard. "Illness?"

He nodded. "Just remember your life depends on those pills. I suggest you don't waste any more time."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Pearl Harbor, UEO Headquarters**

Secretary General Dre let out a scream, glaring across the table at the NCIS agents. "You were _supposed_ to make it look like a suicide."

"That was the plan," Dr. Maureen Downs replied, "but Noyce showed up. Were we supposed to get rid of him too? You were supposed to distract him."

Dre laughed slightly. "You're trying to pin this on me? Had you done it right away, this never would have happened."

"She was asking too many questions, and these two weren't much help." Dr. Downs motioned to her partners.

"You sent us outside," Agent Collins replied.

The doctor rolled her eyes. "To get the gun, you idiots. We had-"

"People, people," Dre shouted in an effort to quiet them. "Where is Dr. Westphalen now?"

Agent Reid said, "She's staying with the admiral himself until tomorrow when _seaQuest_ launches. He's watching her like a hawk. No one's going to be able to get to her."

Dre's lips pursed together in thought. "I see. Well, as I always say, if I need something done, I'll just have to do it myself. I think I might just have to make an impromptu visit to the _seaQuest_ myself within the next few days…"

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Pearl Harbor**

Thankfully, Kristin was able to speak with Cynthia; she was perfectly well…at least that's what she said. And she was in a different village than the last time she spoke with her, and she was going to be in a new one in the next few days. Perhaps the fact she kept moving around was a good thing. That might be her protection, though Kristin was careful not to let on that she might be in danger; she didn't want to get her worked up if there was no need. She did explain to Cynthia that a few tragedies had occurred but that she was just fine and that she shouldn't worry. She didn't know if she believed her, but Cynthia seemed to accept this, especially when Kristin had promised she'd call her again next week.

After the vid-screen had gone blank, Kristin lay down on the bed. She didn't feel like resting, but doing Internex searches wasn't going to put her mind at ease either. Perhaps a little nap wasn't such a bad idea after all. She closed her eyes, and it wasn't long before she fell into a much-needed sleep.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

The next thing Kristin knew, she felt a hand on her shoulder, gently shaking her awake.

"Doc? Wake up."

It finally registered that it was Lucas' voice, and she immediately sat up, almost angry with herself she'd fallen asleep at all. "Is everything all right?" Her voice was laced with concern. "The Noyces?"

"Whoa." Lucas held up his hands. "Everything's fine. Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Mrs. Noyce asked me to come wake you. Dinner's ready."

She ran a hand through her hair, feeling her cheeks grow warm and gave a nod. "I'll be right there, thank you," she muttered quietly.

Lucas, however, wasn't going to dismiss it so quickly. He sat down next to her. "Is everything all right?"

She put on a smile. "Of course. I just…with everything going on…" She took a deep breath. "My imagination just ran away from me is all. Everything's fine…really."

The teen studied her for several moments before giving a nod. "I'll see you in a bit then."

"Of course," she replied as he walked out the door. She immediately walked across the hall into the bathroom and shut the door. "You need to pull yourself together, Kristin," she scolded herself. "Getting emotional won't help anything." She quickly freshened up and headed downstairs.

Since she hadn't seen the rest of the house, it took her a minute to find the dining room. She paused in the doorway until Janet noticed her.

"Come in, dear. Don't be shy."

She obliged and took a seat next to Lucas.

"We're sorry we woke you, but I thought it would be a shame if you missed dinner," Janet continued. "You probably haven't eaten much at all today, you poor thing."

Actually, Kristin hadn't eaten at all. Eating had been the last thing on her mind; she wasn't even that hungry now, but she also knew how much trouble Janet had gone through. "It smells delicious."

"Janet makes the best chicken parmesan," Bill stated.

The older woman blushed and waved a hand. "Oh, Bill."

"Well, it's true."

"It's just been ages since I had more than two people to cook for, with the kids away at school," she admitted. "Lucas tells me how terrible the food is on the boat, so I wanted to make you something I thought you'd enjoy."

"I don't think I said _terrible_. I just said we don't get home cooked meals like this," he pointed out.

"Well, I thought you two deserved a little something special either way." She sat down. "Dig in; there's plenty of food."

The serving dishes were passed around, and other than a bit of small talk here and there, the meal was quiet.

Kristin found the meal tasted as good as it smelled, and she actually found herself eating more than she'd intended. As she ate, however, her attention was drawn to the décor in the room…mainly the wall directly across from the dining table, which was filled with framed photographs, mainly of Bill, Janet, and their children. But there were also a few of Nathan and a blonde woman. Kristin had only seen her picture once or twice sitting on Nathan's desk; she was sure it was Carol. She startled slightly when she felt Janet's hand go over hers. "I'm sorry?"

She gave her a kind smile. "I asked if you wanted another helping."

"Oh, no; thank you. It…it was delicious." She then noticed that Bill and Lucas had already left the table. "I was just admiring your photographs."

"I noticed," she replied.

She got up and took a closer look. "You have a lovely family."

"Thank you, dear." Janet moved to stand next to her. "Though I suspect you weren't just looking at the family."

Kristin turned to her. "Did Nathan and Carol come here often?"

"Before they lost Bobby, all the time. Well, when Nathan was on leave, that is. But Carol and I…we got together quite often. She got rather lonely with the boys out at sea."

"I can imagine," she replied, turning her attention back to the photos.

"At least they're together now."

Her brow furrowed. "What?"

"I miss them terribly, but…I take comfort in the fact that I know they're together."

Kristin nodded quietly.

"Well, um, I suppose I should get this cleaned up," Janet said, turning to the table.

"I'll help you," Kristin offered.

But Janet shook her head. "It's fine."

"You went to all this trouble to cook; the least I can do is help with the dishes. Besides, I'm going a little stir crazy. If I go back to sleep, I'll be up half the night then."

Janet smiled. "Why don't you go for a walk then?"

"A walk?"

"Sure. It's a lovely evening, and I'm sure a walk on the beach might help clear your thoughts."

"Very well," she replied. "A walk it is then."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Guilt had been eating away at Lucas since he'd found out about what happened at the lab. He'd gone to his father's apartment. They were supposed to go to a movie, but he went to the plant instead. Big surprise. _"I just need to take care of one little thing."_

Lawrence had asked him to tag along, but Lucas hated the power plant with a passion; he always got roped into working, and it turned into an all day affair. Besides, this was supposed to be a vacation. He wanted to relax. _"I'll just watch some TV until you get back."_

Only a couple of hours had passed when Lucas saw the coverage of the shooting on the news. He'd been so scared he'd lose the doc too. He called a cab and got there as fast as he could. Of course, they didn't want to let him in. He stood outside for quite a while, demanding answers, until a police officer finally told him something. He'd never been more relieved in his life.

The doc had said it was all right, that she wasn't angry for what he'd said…but that didn't matter. He still felt rather awkward about it all. He wanted to speak with her earlier, but Mrs. Noyce kept asking him to do things for her. She must have thought he needed to keep busy, and he really didn't mind. But he decided there was no way he could relax until he spoke with the doc. He had to be sure she knew that he'd never meant what he'd said.

As he made his way down the stairs to the kitchen, he saw Mrs. Noyce doing the dinner dishes.

"Hello," she greeted pleasantly. "Looking for something?"

"Someone, actually," he said. "I thought the doc was down here."

Janet pointed out the window. "She went outside for a bit."

Lucas studied the woman sitting on the beach; he suddenly realized she was crying. He headed to the door, but Janet stopped him. "She's upset," he protested.

"I know. I haven't taken my eye off of her for a minute. But I also know that she needs this."

A brow rose in question.

"I may not know Dr. Westphalen as well as you, but Bill tells me she's a rather strong woman. Or at least she likes to appear that way. There's nothing wrong with that, but the minute she walked in the front door, I could see the dam was about ready to break. That's why I tried to get everyone to leave her alone…because I knew this was going to happen. And painful as it is to see, she needs this."

He removed his hand from the door and gave a quiet nod. "I was just hoping…" He shook his head. "I need to speak with her. Do you think she'll be coming in anytime soon?"

"That's up to her." She paused. "What's on your mind?"

He bit his lip. "I…said something I wish I'd never said to her, and I…I wanted to apologize. I said I wished it had been her who died instead of the captain."

"Lucas…"

"I…I know, I never should have done that, but… I was angry, and it just came out. I tried to tell her earlier, and she said it was all right, but..." He sighed. "I don't feel all right."

Janet put an arm around his shoulders. "I promise when she comes in, I'll tell her you need to see her, all right?"

"Okay; thanks, Mrs. Noyce."

"Of course, dear. Now try to have a little fun."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Kristin wiped the last few stray tears from her eyes. She'd tried holding it in, but to no avail. At least no one had gone after her. She pushed herself up off the ground and made her way back to the house.

"Enjoy your walk?"

Kristin gasped slightly when she saw Janet sitting at the kitchen table. "I didn't expect anyone to be there," she replied quietly. She then cleared her throat. "It…it was fine."

"I thought it might do you well. I'm about to have a cup of tea; would you like one?"

"Please. Um, how long have you been sitting in here?"

"Excuse me?" Janet asked.

"I was just…" Kristin sighed. "You saw me, didn't you?"

"I have no idea what you mean," she said innocently as she put a teakettle on the stove.

Kristin didn't believe her. "How did you know?"

She gave a shrug. "Intuition, I suppose. Are you feeling any better?"

"Somewhat…but perhaps we could chat?"

Janet put an arm around her shoulders. "Of course, dear. You don't need to go through this alone."


	15. Justice Is Lost

**Australia**

After the second pill, Nathan felt awful. Vertigo and nausea set in. He could hardly see straight after that before he fell asleep…that was, until the stopwatch beeped. Thank goodness he'd had the good sense to leave the pill packet within arm's length. He took his third pill, managed to swallow without vomiting, and fell back asleep.

A short while after pill number eight, he needed to use the facilities. He glanced longingly at the toilet in the corner of the room, feeling as though the short distance seemed like miles. He considered doing what he needed right where he lay, but he remembered how well that had gone the last time. No one but Larry seemed to care about his cleanliness, and with him being 'laid up', as Bourne had stated, that meant he wouldn't be around to help him if he needed. He seriously doubted either of the others would be so kind as to help him to the shower.

He gingerly sat up and instantly regretted it as a pain shot through his forehead, and the room began to spin. He held his head in his hands, willing the pain to subside, at least enough to make it to the other side of the room. But as he ran his fingers through his hair, he felt something odd. He pulled his hands away and looked at them, seeing clumps of his own hair in them. His brow furrowed, wondering what in the hell these pills were doing to him when he felt another discomfort, this time on his face. It felt like a scratch, but he then realized that wasn't the only area that ached: his cheeks, his nose, even his neck felt the same way.

Of course, there was no mirror in his cell, so he glanced around for the next best thing. He saw his silver food tray sitting on the table nearby. He took a deep breath and carefully crawled over to it, having to stop in between to vomit.

He wondered when it had been brought; the food on it was ice cold, and he didn't even remember anyone being there after Bourne. No matter; he had no desire to eat. He set the plate on the floor and turned the metal tray over. Although his reflection looked a bit distorted, he could see why his face was in pain. Red, puffy lesions dotted his nose and cheeks; the same with his neck. And as suspected, he was losing hair; he could see his bald scalp peeking out in spots.

He could deal with the hair loss; it was just hair, and it would grow back. Or at least he hoped. But the lesions? Was it a strange allergic reaction or was it something else? For the first time since he'd been taken, he wished he could contact Bourne. He needed answers before… _Damn it!_

The beeping that sounded across the room told him it was time for pill number nine. He sighed, toying with the idea of not taking it at all. According to Larry and the others, that would mean inevitable death. But was this any better? For all he knew, these pills could be doing the job a lot quicker. He certainly felt like death. Still, the thought of Lucas, Kristin, and the rest of the crew pushed him on. He couldn't give up so easily, no matter how tempting it might sound.

He swallowed hard and crawled back to his mattress, resetting the alarm on the watch and swallowed his next pill. He then lay down; the urge to use the bathroom had gone away, thank goodness since he hadn't the energy to crawl to the other side of the room and back. He then fell back asleep, dreaming of happier times and wondering if he'd ever have that again.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Pearl Harbor**

One hour later, Kristin found herself cracking a small smile as she spoke with Janet. Well, it was more that she was listening to her, but that's honestly what she'd needed. She had a difficult time even knowing what to say. But Janet, bless her soul, seemed to know exactly what Kristin needed: to get her mind off of things, at least for the time being.

Janet brought out photo albums; since Kristin seemed to enjoy looking at the photos on the wall, the older woman thought that a trip down memory lane might help Kristin forget all the tragedy for now. And seeing photos of Nathan and Bill in their younger days had been quite interesting. It was no surprise to her that Nathan had been quite a dish in his younger days, but it was quite a shock to see that Bill had turned quite a few heads too. He'd been quite handsome.

Janet was in the middle of an amusing story about Bill and Nathan's antics at the academy. "…war games simulation between the Navy and the Army recruits. Bill was a senior; Nathan was a freshman, but they formed a quick bond, mainly because Nathan made quite a name for himself being a prankster."

Kristin's mouth fell open. "You're kidding. He was always so…so…"

"Serious," Janet finished for her. "I know; you'd have never known it, but back then, Bill said he was very different. He cared about the Navy, but he also wanted to have fun. And he did. During the simulation, he convinced Bill that the best way for them to win was to steal the Army's mascot, which was a donkey."

"Oh, dear. And did they get caught?"

"Not until after the Navy won, fair and square, might I add. The Army recruits might have been upset about Murphy going missing, but it was clear the Navy knew what they were doing, regardless. It wasn't until days later, the Army recruits found poor Murphy tied to a tree just on the outskirts of the academy, happily eating oats. He wasn't harmed, but…" She trailed off, as she started to laugh.

"What?" the younger woman urged. "Don't keep me in suspense."

Janet was able to stifle her laughter enough to finish after a moment. "They'd somehow tie-dyed his fur." She then broke into peals of laughter again.

Kristin joined in this time. "I…I can't believe it. How?"

She shook her head. "I really don't know; I'm not even sure Bill knows the secret. Needless to say, Nathan spent a lot of time on cleanup duty."

"I'm sure," Kristin replied. "Funny, I heard Ben Krieg played a similar prank while at the academy. Guess that's where he learned it. And I think he got the same punishment."

"Oh, I'm positive of it." Her smile then faded. "He really was a wonderful man."

"Indeed," Kristin agreed, lowering her gaze to her teacup. "I miss him so very much. I never got to tell him I lo-" Her hand rose to her mouth as she uttered a low gasp. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean…"

Janet placed a hand on her shoulder. "Kristin? Were you going to say what I think?"

"I didn't mean…" Kristin shook her head before moving her gaze back to her. "Nathan and I were just…very close."

The older woman eyed her carefully for a brief moment. "Oh, my God," she finally said. "Why didn't you tell me?" She shook her head. "I'm so sorry; I didn't realize…"

Kristin bit her lip. "I don't think anyone did. We hadn't…" She sighed. "Nathan and I hadn't really spoken about it much. I think we were both…afraid. It…it was complicated. All I know is if I had to do it all over again, I'd have made sure I told him how I felt before…" The sting of tears made her stop, afraid she was close to breaking down once again. She then felt Janet's arms go around her, and a soft sob escaped her.

"Oh, honey," Janet whispered. "I just wish you'd have told me earlier. I didn't mean…what I said about Carol…"

Kristin shook her head against her shoulder. "No…it's all right. I…I know he loved her, and if we had… I'd never force him to stop…" She took a shaky breath and pulled away, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "I told myself I wouldn't break down again. I'm sorry, I-"

"Oh, no, dear," Janet replied. "You have nothing to be sorry for. You've been through so much. You have every right to be upset, to grieve."

She shrugged. "I don't want to spend my days sobbing."

"I understand that, but sometimes, that's what we need." She paused to think for a moment, brushing Kristin's hair back over her shoulder. "What if there was a way you could speak to Nathan? Would that help you?"

Kristin's brow furrowed. "What?"

"I meant visiting the gravesite," she replied.

"Oh…I never even went to the burial. Knowing that it's an empty casket doesn't really ease my mind."

Janet gave her a small smile. "I can't say I don't understand that, but you believe in the soul, don't you?"

"Yes, but-"

"Bill said you don't ship out until noon tomorrow, so we can go to the cemetery early in the morning, if you'd like. Just you and me? What do you say?"

"I…suppose," she finally said.

"Just try to remember that he'll hear you," Janet told her, giving her hand a squeeze.

She nodded. "That is a comforting thought, and it will probably help with the emotions as well. I try very hard to stay in control, at least for Lucas' sake."

"Oh, no," Janet said.

"What's wrong?"

"I completely forgot; while you were out for your walk, Lucas came to look for you. He wanted to talk with you. I promised I'd send you upstairs when you came in."

"Oh, dear," she replied quietly. "I suppose I ought to freshen up. I probably look a mess."

Janet laughed slightly as she gathered up the photo albums. "Sweetie, if this is what you look like when you're a mess, you have nothing to worry about."

She blushed. "You needn't try to flatter me. I know I look awful."

Janet placed a hand on her arm. "No, you really don't. And if you don't mind me saying so, Nathan had good taste."

"You…you're going to make me cry again," Kristin replied, sure she was turning an even darker shade of pink.

Janet put an arm around her shoulder. "We can't have that again. Just let me put these away, and then I'll help you, okay?"

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Fifteen minutes later, Kristin made her way up the stairs. Janet had offered her a touch of make-up, erasing the tearstains from her cheeks. Kristin then gave her a hug and a thank you. She was almost sorry that she'd be leaving tomorrow; Janet had proven to be a new and wonderful friend.

She quietly made her way to Lucas' room. She hadn't seen the admiral since dinner, but she certainly didn't want to wake him if he'd gone to sleep. She was surprised to find Lucas' door open. The young man was sitting at a desk in the corner of the room, playing some sort of computer game. She watched him for a minute, worried he might be startled. She finally decided to knock gently on the doorframe.

He turned to her. "Doc?"

"Mrs. Noyce said you wanted to talk to me?"

He nodded, turning the game off. "Yeah, but you were out." He then walked over to her. "Are you okay?"

She gave him a smile. "Oh, yes; I'm fine."

"It's just with everything that happened today, I thought…" He sighed. "I saw you sitting out there crying."

"You…you did?" Her smile faded. "Well, I…I just…"

"Don't worry," Lucas told her. "Mrs. Noyce…she explained you needed some time alone."

"I did," she agreed. "But I'm feeling much better, thank you."

"I'm glad to hear it."

"Is that what you wanted to talk about?"

"Uh, no, actually." He motioned to the bed. "Why don't you have a seat?"

She obliged, but she suddenly felt nervous. "Please don't tell me this is bad news. I…I'm not sure I could take it."

Lucas laughed, sat down next to her, and squeezed her hand. "No, I promise it's not bad news. I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am about our argument. I didn't mean what I said at all, and-"

"Oh, Lucas, I…I'd already told you it was forgiven. You needn't berate yourself for it."

He shook his head. "That doesn't stop me from feeling guilty about it."

She sighed. "I know you were just angry. We're all still angry about everything." She ran a hand through his hair. "I knew the moment you said it you didn't mean it; you were just wishing something we all were: that the captain was still alive and well."

"But it doesn't make it right…what I said."

"I suppose not," she replied, still playing with a lock of his hair. "But we've all said things we didn't necessarily mean when we were angry. I just wish…"

"What?" he pressed.

"Lucas, you know I love you, don't you?"

"Of course," he replied.

"And I've never made you think otherwise? Haven't I always done what I could for you, treated you fairly, protected you?"

He nodded.

"Then why is it we've always had a bit of a problem in the communication department? Even before Captain Bridger came to the _seaQuest_ …you've always treated me…differently. Yet you let the captain in almost immediately…" She let out a sigh. "I've always wondered, though I've been too afraid to ask. Did I do something wrong?"

"No, of course not. I…I never meant to make you feel that way," he replied after a moment. "I guess it's because sometimes you remind me of my real mom, and… She and I have a few issues."

She put her arm around his shoulders. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"

After a sigh, he said, "I used to think I had the best mother in the world, and for a long time, it was true. She was always showering me with attention. She took me places, bought me things. About the time I was ten, that all changed. I think she paid so much attention to me because she was lonely. Dad was always at work, and although she had friends, she didn't see them often. I was her world. But a ten-year-old boy doesn't want his mom constantly doting on him. I wanted to be out playing with my friends, not staying at home hanging out with my mom."

"That's not just boys," she said. " _Every_ child goes through that age where their parents just aren't the center of their world anymore. Some parents just have a more difficult time accepting that fact."

"Yeah, well, my mother was one that didn't take it well. At least, I don't think she did. She never said anything directly, but that's when her trips started. It started with a little vacation to France by herself. She said she needed to get away, have some time by herself. Dad was supposed to spend some quality time with me, but that only lasted about a day. I spent more quality time with the butler. Long story short, Mom was sneaking off having affairs with men. She was sick of being brushed aside for Dad's work. I can't say I blame her," he said with a shrug. "If I could have left then, I would have too. Because for the next year or two, when Dad was home, all they did was fight. Mom used me as a pawn; she'd tell me all these awful things he was doing so I'd be angry with him too." He shook his head. "At first, it worked. There was a lot I didn't know then; I didn't know about my mom's affairs, but I knew Dad was never home. I was angry too. I…I thought he'd wake up; I thought he'd take some time off of work and spend time with us."

"I take it it had the opposite effect, though?" Kristin guessed.

He nodded. "Dad spent even more time at work, which meant Mom went on more trips. I hated them both so much for leaving me. When Dad finally filed for divorce, I learned what my mom was really doing. I had the choice of staying with Mom or living with Dad. I chose Dad; at least he'd try to talk to me on occasion, when he wasn't working. Mom…she seemed to still blame me for growing up. Even now, she'll try to shower me with gifts when she sees me, but…it's like she'd rather be with her suitors. I know she loves me because I'm her son, but she doesn't act like it."

Kristin was quiet for several minutes before she spoke. "I hope you know I'd never do that to you, Lucas. Ever. I couldn't."

"In my heart, I know that," he replied. "I really do. But in my head, I'm afraid. I…I love you so much, Doc, but I'm scared to lose you. I'm afraid I'll do something wrong, and you'll push me aside and leave me, just like she did. Dad…he never left me. He was somewhat absent, but he _stayed_. I…I think that counts for something." He let out a sigh. "I just don't want to lose what we already have, and I guess…I push you away more than I should sometimes. I'm sorry."

She pulled him into her arms. "I don't want to lose what we have either. I think we've lost too much lately." She took a deep breath. "But at the end of the day, we need to remember that life is too precious to fight the way we've been."

"I…I know; that's why I wanted to apologize. I wanted to make things right."

"It already is," she assured him. "You don't need to worry. I know we're going to argue on occasion; it comes with the territory, but…"

"I'll be sure to be upfront with you," Lucas finished. "The more we communicate, the less we'll fight."

She smiled. "Once again, the student surpasses the teacher." She gave his arm a playful push. "You certainly are growing into a fine young man. Your mother doesn't know what she's missing."

He blushed and flashed her a grin. "Thanks, but I think it's because I have some good role models."

She kissed him on the cheek. "That's sweet of you to say."

"You think the captain would be proud?"

"Lucas, the captain was proud of you no matter what, but yes, he would indeed be proud." She sighed. "We've had a long day, haven't we? I don't know about you, but I am exhausted."

"Yeah," he agreed. "I'm pretty tired too."

"Then on that note, I think we should hit the hay. We've a busy day tomorrow."

He put his arms around her. "Goodnight, Doc. Love you."

"Love you too, dear. Goodnight."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Kristin had just changed into some pajamas and got into bed when she heard the sound of a car pulling up right outside, but since the Noyces lived in a residential area, she guessed it was one of the neighbors. That was until she heard the doorbell. She glanced at the clock; it was well after ten at night. Who would show up at this hour?

She then heard muffled voices: one male, which she was sure belonged to the admiral, and one female. However, the female was definitely not Janet Noyce, yet her voice sounded so familiar. She strained to listen. She couldn't make out everything they were saying, but…

"…she…upstairs?" asked the female voice.

"Yes…she…long day…disturbed," replied the admiral.

Her heart sank, feeling a slight pang of guilt, since whomever it was had been asking for her, disturbing the Noyces at such a late hour. She threw on her robe and headed downstairs, hoping she could send the disturbance away.

"Andrea, you've got some nerve showing up here unannounced," Noyce continued. His voice was stern yet quiet. "Couldn't this have waited until tomorrow?"

"I do apologize for the intrusion, but I've been so worried. I've been in meetings all day over what happened, and when they adjourned, I've been trying to track Dr. Westphalen down. I was hoping I could speak to her. And, no, unfortunately, it can't wait, since tomorrow will be even worse."

"I just-"

"E-excuse me, Admiral," Kristin said, taking a few steps forward.

"Kristin, you don't have to do this," Bill replied. "Obviously, you were in bed."

"But I wasn't asleep," she protested. "Besides, I'm sure the secretary general will keep this brief." She turned to her. "Hopefully."

Dre gave her a smile. "Thank you for being so gracious."

"Very well," Bill said, "as long as what you need to say can be said to both of us."

"Of course," Dre replied with a shrug. She turned back to Kristin. "Perhaps we could go into the other room where we could sit?"

Bill led them into the living room.

"First of all," Dre began, "are you all right? I'm sure it must have been quite horrifying."

"I…I'm fine," Kristin replied, suddenly feeling nervous. She hoped the secretary general wasn't here to force her to relive the horror once again.

"Well, I certainly hope you're going to take some time to mend mentally." She turned to Bill. "I'm sure you'll see to it."

"Of course," he replied. "It's just that we decided that with everything going on right now, the best place for her is on _seaQuest._ At least she'll be safe."

"Oh, I agree." She then placed her hand over Kristin's. "And I'd like to personally apologize for the NCIS team that barged in on you."

Kristin's brow furrowed. "But they said you sent them yourself."

"I did, only I didn't realize how they'd treat you, acting as though you were a common criminal yourself. You need to understand this is a very…unique situation, and the agents were just doing their job: investigating. But if I'd known what they had in store… I didn't realize they'd be so…aggressive in their tactics."

"It's perfectly all right," Kristin replied. "No harm done."

"You're too kind, Doctor; no, it isn't all right, though. I've given them all a stern lecture and told them if anything like this happens again, their careers will be ruined." She gave a soft smile. "And I could do it too. I promise you that if they need to speak with you again, you will not be treated so appallingly."

"I do appreciate that. I did think things seemed a bit strange," she admitted. "Not that I know how investigations work in NCIS."

"Not this way, I assure you. But we also have a bit of a situation on our hands."

"A situation?" Kristin exchanged a worried glance with the admiral. "What sort of situation exactly?"

"Even though your work at the lab is seemingly finished, your security clearance is not."

She sighed. "I am well aware of that. It's been reiterated over and over again." She hadn't meant to sound so harsh, but she was quite frankly sick of hearing about her security clearance. "In fact, how can I be sure you're even cleared for this conversation?"

Dre laughed softly. "Touché, Doctor. I was just making sure that you are extremely careful about what you share about what happened. You really shouldn't speak to anyone about what you saw and heard except for the investigators. You understand, don't you, dear?"

"Loud and clear. You needn't worry."

"Good; I'm glad to hear it." Dre stood then. "Well, I see you're in good hands, so I won't keep you. But perhaps I could check up on you in a few days?"

"That would be fine."

"Good," she said with a smile. "We'll be in touch. You get some rest now." She gave a nod to Bill. "I'll show myself out, if you don't mind."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Once she heard the click of the door, Kristin turned to Bill. "I am so sorry for all this. If-"

He held up a hand. "This isn't your fault. Andrea has always been a bit…aggressive with her tactics as well. She tends to forget that she can't always get what she wants when she wants it."

She nodded quietly. "I'd heard Nathan say the same thing. I appreciate you staying here, but I could have handled her myself."

"I have no doubt; you certainly shut her up about the security clearance," he said with a laugh. "I just wanted to be sure. As I said, she can be a bit aggressive."

"Thank you; I do appreciate it."

"Of course. I don't know about you, but I'm beat."

"You can say that again," she replied with a nod.

"Then I think we should get some sleep, hm?"

"Indeed. Goodnight, Bill. See you in the morning."

"Goodnight," he replied as they both headed to their own bedrooms.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Australia**

Larry was in pain, but he wasn't broken. After a couple days of rest, Bourne told him there was no reason why he couldn't go back to working.

Larry didn't argue; taking care of Bridger really wasn't work anyway. Not hard, physical labor. And he'd been worried about him. Bourne told him he'd started him on the green pills. He shuddered, remembering his green pill days. He didn't want to relive those again anytime soon.

He quickly made his way to the kitchen and prepared a tray. He knew Bridger wasn't going to feel like eating, but he had to keep his strength up. He then walked down to Nathan's cell.

As he neared, he could hear the stopwatch beeping incessantly. He frowned, seeing that Bridger was still sound asleep. "Wakey, wakey," he called. "It's pill time."

Bridger didn't budge, however.

With a shake of his head, Larry unlocked the cell door, walked inside, and set the food tray down. He then picked up the watch and turned it off. "Hey, Bridger, you need to wake up."

_No answer._

Larry sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder to shake him awake. "Hey, wake up," he said, louder this time.

When he still didn't awaken, Larry happened to notice the pill packet lying on the floor. He picked it up and counted that he'd only taken about a dozen pills. He shook his head. "No, that's not right; these should be almost gone by now." He knelt down next to Nathan, giving him a violent shake. "You need to get up now!"

A faint groan came from Nathan's lips as his head rolled back.

In the dim light, Larry could see how ashen grey his face had become and how his eyes rolled back in his head. This was not good. He ran upstairs and barged into Bourne's office.

"What the-"

"Bridger needs help now. He missed at least half his pills. If we don't do something quick, he won't make it."


	16. Justice Is Raped

**Australia**

"You're absolutely sure?" Alexander Bourne asked with a frown.

Larry nodded. "Positive. He won't wake up, and he...he looks like hell."

Armand Stassi, who had been typing away across the room at his own desk, spoke up. "Alexander, you do recall your green pill days, don't you? Sounds completely normal to me." He clicked his tongue at Larry. "I'm surprised, quite frankly, that you didn't know better. Surely, you have to know how busy we are."

"Of course, I do," Larry replied, giving Bourne a pleading look. "And I'd have never burst in here uninvited if I thought it was just the effects of the green pills. But it's not. He missed several doses." He shook his head. "Something's not right, and if we just leave him..."

"It could defeat our purpose entirely," Bourne muttered.

Larry nodded quietly, but Armand was still adamant that Larry had to be mistaken. "Alexander, I really don't think-"

Bourne held up a halting hand. "We need to at least check it out, don't you agree, Armand?"

He sighed, closing the lid to the laptop. "Whatever you say," he replied through gritted teeth.

__-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_ _

As Larry led them to Nathan's cell, Armand had to eat his words at the sight of Bridger lying on the floor motionless. "Is he... Is he alive?" he asked.

"See for yourself," Larry replied. "I didn't bother re-locking the door; didn't see the point." And as his friends cautiously examined their lifeless hostage, he added, "He is breathing. It's shallow, but it's there."

Armand held a few inches above Bridger's mouth to confirm it. When he felt the light rush of air, he felt somewhat relieved, but not much. He cast a glance towards Alexander. "Now what do we do?"

"We call the doctor," came the response.

Brows rose in question as Larry and Armand both exchanged worried glances.

"And how are you going to explain that one?" Armand asked. "Because once the doctor finds out _who_ he is-"

Bourne rolled his eyes. "I didn't mean _that_ doctor, you imbecile. Doctor Warren from the lab."

Larry and Armand shared a quiet nod. Dr. Daniel Warren had been an old friend. He'd been in the same experimental program with them before he'd become a doctor. He now supplied their pills. Even though he was UEO, it stood to reason he would keep their secret.

"You're sure we can trust him?" Armand asked in worry.

"We don't have a choice." He turned to Larry. "Call him now and let me know when he shows up."

__-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_ _

**Pearl Harbor**

Kristin awoke to a light tapping on the door. She groaned tiredly as she scarcely opened one eye. The sun shone brightly through the window, but she wasn't quite ready to greet the day just yet. She pulled the comforter overF her head, hoping to go back to sleep when she heard the door open quietly and soft footsteps come toward the bed.

"Kristin?" Janet's voice said quietly. "Are you awake?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Kristin replied, her voice muffled by the comforter.

Janet laughed softly. "I'm sorry I woke you, but if we're going to go the the cemetery, we need to get going."

"What?" She pulled the blanket off her head and sat up, smoothing her mussed hair and giving a shake of her head. She'd completely forgotten about going with Janet. She'd wanted to, but at the same time, she hadn't expected Secretary General Dre to show up so late as well.

Janet took a seat at the foot of the bed, placing a hand on Kristin's knee. "You'd forgotten?"

She nodded. "I didn't get to sleep right away like I'd wanted..."

"Bill did tell me that Andrea Dre had the gall to show up so late...uninvited. Something about your security clearance." She shook her head "I am sorry."

"I'm not really upset about it," she replied with a shrug. "What time is it, by the way?"

"Half past six. No one else is awake yet, and I thought we could sneak out of here before the others got up. That would prevent prying questions."

"I suppose I could always nap when we get back," she said with a sigh, forcing herself up.

"You're sure? I don't want to force you if you're really too tired..."

"No, I...I think you're right. This...this is something I need to do, and if I don't, I fear I'll regret it. Give me ten minutes, and I'll meet you downstairs."

__-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_ _

**UEO Headquarters, Pearl Harbor**

General Thomas groaned internally as he neared the meeting room. He couldn't be sure exactly what Dre had up her sleeve, but lately, it was never good news as far as he was concerned. He just hoped he wasn't in the doghouse yet again. He paused by the door, hoping to gauge her mood. He saw that Dre stood with her hands behind her back, slowly walking back and forth at the head room. She thankfully didn't appear to notice him right away, but that didn't really help, for the expression on her face was one of mild amusement, one she often wore, even when she was angry. He took a deep breath and gently cleared his throat.

She stopped pacing and turned in his direction. "I'm surprised to see you're the first to arrive." Her smile never faltered, something the general found terribly annoying.

He sat down at the table with a tired groan, trying to avoid her sparkling blue eyes. "Not by choice, mind you. It was your idea to call us in _before_ 0700 hours. What's so important now? I thought you had everything under control?"

"You should know by now to never doubt me," she replied as she took a seat at the head of the long wooden table. "I'll explain more as soon as-" She stopped short upon seeing General Mitchell and Admiral Lockwood enter. "Speak of the devil..." She pointed a finger towards them.

"Are we waiting on anyone else?" Admiral Lockwood asked as he took a seat next to Frank.

"Just a few more," Andrea replied. "And as long as everyone is competent, this shouldn't take long."

Frank couldn't help but notice how she eyed him; he instantly broke into an uncomfortable sweat. He stood and walked to the window. "Is it just me, or is it warm in here?" Without waiting for an answer, he opened it. "That should help," he muttered, moving back to take his seat once again. Surely, Andrea wouldn't discipline him in front of everyone, would she? He gave a small shake of his head, trying to confirm it to himself. Besides, he hadn't done anything...that he knew of, at least.

No one else passed comment as Frank did his best to remain calm and collected. After a few moments, he saw three more people entered the room whom he'd never met: two men and a woman, all dressed in business attire. Dre stood and closed the door behind them, motioning for them to have a seat.

"Ladies, gentlemen, I'd like to introduce you to the head NCIS agents investigating the incident at the lab. This is Dr. Maureen Downs, Special Agent Adam Reid, and Special Agent Roger Carter."

Frank swallowed hard, suddenly feeling more worried than he was before. He apparently looked like a deer caught in headlights, however, because Dre placed a hand on his shoulder as she took her seat, a rare gesture from her.

Dr. Downs took it upon herself to put him at ease. "What the secretary general isn't telling you is that we're also very well-versed in Project Kratos."

A surprised look was shared among the UEO members, since the name of the program was rarely uttered. Frank hadn't heard it in so long, he'd almost forgotten it. "You're saying you're involved in it too?

"We've worked on the Intel for years," Agent Reid added with a nod. He then motioned to the vid-screen at the front of the room. "In fact, the secretary general said none of you really know how large the project has become over the years. Although each one of us is an integral part of the program, we're not really aware of how each of us fits in."

"We're on a need-to-know-basis," Frank muttered.

"Exactly. I thought of a few ways to give you a refresher course, if you will, but so as not to bore you as though it's a history lesson, I made up a short video for you to watch." He looked at the secretary general and motioned to the vid-screen. "May I?"

She gave a nod, and he dimmed the lights. Frank turned his attention towards the screen as Agent Reid turned it on.

"I promise it's short," he said, hitting the play button and taking his seat once again.

A green and blue map of the world appeared on the screen, the date 2010 scrolled across the bottom in white letters as a hollow, mechanical-sounding female voice began narrating, "Several million _people perished during World War III, taking a large chunk out of the world's population. Even the largest superpowers felt the war's ramifications. The North Pacific Confederation, also known as NORPAC, wanted to prevent such a large loss of the world's population from happening again, and its allied confederations agreed. That's when the idea was proposed for an experimental program to create a new group of super soldiers...much like the outlawed GELF experiments. However, instead of using genetically engineered lifeforms, the idea was proposed to use willing human beings."_

Several red dots marking various lab locations appeared on the screen as the voice continued, " _NORPAC, along with its allies, solicited small groups of soldiers in Australia, England, the United States, Argentina, the Philippines, and Japan_."

The map then changed to several new territories with the date of 2015. Frank vaguely remembered the way the world's geography changed almost daily in those days. Both the war and the UN's disbanding had left the state of the world in a rather unstable position and new territories and alliances were constantly changing.

" _By 2015, the program grew._ _As more confederations were created, alliances grew, and once officials caught wind of the program, they wanted to participate as well. With the growth of the program, this prompted the creation of the human microchip."_

A small, black, cylindrical chip appeared on the screen with tiny artificial nerve-endings, making it look like some sort of mutant squid. Frank shuddered slightly. He knew about the human microchips, an idea he supported wholeheartedly. It'd saved Project Kratos from destruction, but the thought of it attaching itself to the human body like a virus was a disturbing thought. He'd never seen one up close like that and lowered his gaze, hoping the image would change quickly.

" _With the growth of the program, the allies worried about the program getting out of hand. If it was ever decided the program needed to be terminated quickly, the microchip would cause subjects to willingly comply to whatever the chip told them what to do. In short, subjects would destroy all participants and themselves, leaving not a trace of evidence to implicate any UEO officials."_

Thankfully, the screen changed to a new map and upon noticing the slight flash from the screen, Frank was able to look at it once again, seeing yet another map. His mind wandered slightly at the thought of just how many were involved in the program after all. Obviously, it was more than just their small group in Pearl, and the NCIS agents. But they'd spent countless years trying to cover their tracks. Just how many were they trying to keep the secret from? And who all had dirty hands in the matter?

" _By 2017, there were over eighty labs involved and hundreds of participants, and with the signing of the United Oceans Treaty in early 2018, the UEO was created."_ A new map with even more red dots appeared. _"This, however, did not mean Project Kratos was left by the wayside. When new sea borders were drawn, so were new alliances, and that meant even more support for the project."_

Yet another map appeared on the screen, a current one, littered with dozens more red dots. _"Today, more than one hundred labs participate in the project; that includes doctors, officials, agents, and patients. Although exact numbers cannot be calculated, it is my estimate that at least one million people are involved worldwide."_

Frank was stunned, and judging by the looks on the others' faces, he guessed they felt the same way. None of them ever dreamed the program was that large. Still, what did this all mean as far as the lab was concerned? As Agent Reid moved to turn the vid-screen off and the lights up, he gathered they were about to find out what the connection was, besides the obvious.

"Thank you very much for that information," Dre said. "I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say that even I didn't realize the immense size of the program." The others nodded in agreement. "I'm assuming that's better for us as far as it's concerned?"

"Indeed, Secretary," Dr. Downs said. "But there is a major concern now with the termination of it all. As you can see, it's rather difficult to make one million people disappear without those who know nothing about the program whatsoever noticing. Two murder-suicide incidents, while alarming, still isn't cause for great action. That's where we..." She motioned to herself and Agents Reid and Carter. "...come in. Our main concern are the autopsies."

Dre raised a brow. "Surely, there are other agents that you're in contact with that support our cause?"

"Of course, but not _all_ are, and when crimes happen, it's not like choosing players for an elementary school team. We can't just pick and choose who we want. Crimes happen every day, and a great many agents, while well-versed in the program, are already working on other cases. They can't just be reassigned without a good reason," she said, giving a shake of her head.

"I get the feeling, Doctor, you're doing an awful lot of beating around the bush," the secretary general said with a sigh. "Can you please just get to the point? My colleagues and I don't have time for all this nonsense."

"With all due respect, Madam Secretary, my point is this." She placed a sample collection jar in the middle of the table.

It took Frank a few seconds to realize exactly what it was, since the jar had bits of what appeared to be splattered red paint blocking his view. Then, as he saw a small movement as the jar slid ever so slightly across the surface of the table, he instantly knew: it was a human microchip...a used one, apparently. Seeing the moving nerve-like tentacles attached to the chip sent a chill down his spine.

"Just what in the hell...?" Dre muttered. "Why did you bring that _thing_ in here?"

"That _thing_ came out of Dr. Cooper," Dr. Downs replied, "and it wasn't very easy to hide from my colleagues who wouldn't know what it was for, if you catch my drift. I'm not sure if you've heard, but I highly doubt anyone was able to hide Dr. Henderson's chip."

"And unless he had any injuries or marks on his inner arm, it's quite unlikely it would be found in an autopsy, am I correct?" Dre asked, her eyes narrowing.

The doctor became quiet for a few minutes, tapping her fingers on the table and glancing towards her agents.

"What the doctor is saying, I think, is that something probably _will_ show up on the toxicology report," Agent Carter offered.

"Exactly," she said with a nod. "While I could probably fudge Dr. Cooper's toxicology, my hands are tied on that of Dr. Henderson."

Dre was silent for a minute, bringing her index fingers to a peak and resting them on her chin as she stared at the microchip. "I didn't think the effects of the microchip would show up on toxicology, though. Not only that, whatever that thing does to the human brain, would it really be noticeable? I was always under the impression it might simply appear to be mental illness. Perhaps there would be small changes to the various lobes of the brain, but that would also be consistent with many mental disorders. Either way, I doubt that the chip will be discovered. Besides, toxicology will take weeks, won't it?"

"Yes, but that still doesn't mean-"

Frank couldn't take this anymore. Normally, he didn't mind someonme else being the object of Dre's wrath, but he knew exactly what Dr. Downs was trying to say, and Andrea was being her stubborn, difficult self, as usual. And she'd said she didn't want to beat around the bush. Now who was playing games? He rolled his eyes, and while he didn't mean to say it out loud, he heard himself say, "They're saying it's going to get rather messy."

Everyone turned to eye him, and he suddenly felt uncomfortable, especially seeing the way Andrea shot a glare his way.

"Messy?" Dre asked.

"W-well, y-yes," he stammered, looking at the agents and hoping one of them would step into rescue them, but neither of them seemed to want to make the effort. "That is what you were saying, isn't it?"

Dr. Downs simply nodded but didn't speak. Instead, she reached across the table to ensure the chip didn't fall off the table. Frank swallowed hard, hoping someone would break the awkward silence and take the attention off him.

"Go on."

Frank shut his eyes when he heard Dre's voice. _Not who I wanted,_ he thought miserably. "W-what?"

"You heard me," she replied, crossing her arms over her chest. "You seem to know so much about this, you take over. Enlighten us all, won't you?"

"R-really?"

A brow rose. "You should know by now I don't joke." She gave him a somewhat sinister smile, making his bones ice over.

He cleared his throat nervously, all eyes still on him. "Well, what...what I think the doctor was saying is that if we continue to rely on the chip to do our dirty work, we're going to be found out. We need an alternative...something that seems less...noticeable?" He looked to the agents, again hoping one of them would speak.

"Yes, exactly," Dr. Downs said.

Frank breathed a sigh of relief as all eyes turned to her.

"We have a proposal, but we need your approval before it's implemented completely." She took out a pill packet, much like Frank had heard were used in the labs for the patients. She passed the packet of purple pills to Dre.

"And just what are these?" Dre asked.

"We've already started using them in some of the labs...the ones in more remote locations," she explained. "We've told the participants we've made a change in their medications. They need to stop them and only take the purple pills. They've been told they'll replace what the green and red pills do."

"But I take it they don't really?" Dre pressed.

She younger woman shook her head. "They'll cause a rather quick death. Within days, the subjects will experience nausea, body aches, fever. They'll think it's nothing but the common cold or flu. Most deaths will be ruled heart attacks. This pill is untraceable on a toxicology report."

Dre's eyes grew wide as she started at the foil packet in her hand, the pills making a tiny rattling sound as they moved around in the packaging. "You're absolutely sure?"

"Positive. Lab tests on rats proved to be beneficial."

An amused smile graced the secretary general's lips. "While I'm disappointed it seems the microchips were created for naught, these little babies seem like a godsend."

"I suppose so, yes," Dr. Downs replied with a small laugh as the others joined in.

"There is just one small problem," Dre continued as the laughter in the room was instantly cut short. "Dr. Westphalen."

Dr. Downs sighed. "I already explained why we-"

Dre held up a halting hand. "I already know, and while I wasn't pleased, I now realize it wasn't your fault. You obviously couldn't predict that Noyce would show up." She held up the pills. "Could I borrow these?"

A few confused looks were shared as Downs gave a shrug. "I...suppose...?"

"It might be the only thing I can use to ensure Dr. Westphalen won't share what she witnessed while working in the lab," she explained, her blue eyes twinkling with excitement.

__-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_ _

After the meeting adjourned, Frank felt rather pleased with himself. He'd managed to steer the meeting in a more favorable direction without reprimand from Andrea. He gave her a nod and was about to walk out of the room when he heard her call his name. He placed a hand on the door frame. "Yes?" he asked, not bothering to turn around and hoping that whatever she wanted would be brief.

"I'd like to talk to your face, please."

He turned around, nervously straightening his tie. "Of course; forgive me. What did you need?"

She gave him that oh-so-usual smile. "Thought you were pretty slick back there, don't you?"

"Andrea, I-"

She held up a hand. "I wasn't finished. I just want to say it's about time."

His mouth fell open slightly. "What?"

"It's about time," she said with a laugh, "that the student surpasses the teacher."

"You...you mean you're pleased?"

"Of course. I give you little tests all the time, just waiting to see if you'll ever stand up to me. Contrary to what you might think, I don't like keeping you on such a short leash. I like to think of us as equals, business partners, if you will. I wouldn't mind seeing it more." She put her hand on his shoulder, giving it a pat.

"Well, I'll try. If that's all, then I'll just-"

In a move that surprised him, she swiftly pulled the knot of his tie, choking off his air supply and brought her lips close to his ear. "But if you ever embarrass me like that again, you'll live to regret it, understood?"

"Y-yes," he choked out, gasping for breath.

She loosened her grip, and he was finally allowed to breathe properly. "I'm glad we have an understanding." She held up the pill packet Dr. Downs had given her. "I'd hate to have to use these on you too." She waved a hand toward the door. "You may go now. We'll be in touch later."

Frank quickly retreated from the room, taking several more deep breaths as if he'd never be able to have such a luxury again. With Andrea Dre, he could never be sure.

__-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_ _

**Pearl Harbor**

As soon as the car tires made contact with the road, Kristin felt her stomach do a few flips. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, hoping the feeling would go away...only it didn't. She also couldn't help but notice the way Janet eyed her, and that only increased her nervousness.

"I left them a note," Janet finally said. "The boys, I mean. I just told them we had some girl things to do. Bill never questions it when I say 'girl things', and I doubt Lucas will either...so you needn't worry about them."

"Thank you. That was...very thoughtful, though I wasn't even thinking about them." She sighed softly, wrapping her arms around her unruly stomach.

"Are you feeling all right?" the older woman asked worriedly. She parked the car on the side of the road and brought her hand to feel Kristin's temperature. "Maybe we should have stopped and gotten a bite to eat first?"

Kristin shook her head, gently removing Janet's hand. "I don't think I could eat if I tried. I just...I want to get this over with as quickly as possible before I change my mind."

A brow rose. "You're having second thoughts?"

"I...I don't know. It's just..." She took a breath. "I know what you said yesterday about being able to share my thoughts with Nathan, being able to tell him the things I never told him when he was...alive." Her voice wavered slightly. "And logically, I...I know you're right. But I...I'm so nervous all of a sudden." She held up her trembling hand. "Look at me; I'm shaking like a leaf."

Janet put an arm around her shoulders. "Oh, sweetheart. That's normal...perfectly normal."

"Be that as it may, I'm usually well-collected. I don't break easily." She shook her head. "Why is this so hard for me?" she asked weakly.

"I can't really answer that." She pulled Kristin into a hug. "But I don't think you should beat yourself up over it. This is your choice. If you'd rather not do it, it's all right."

Kristin pulled away to look at her, her brow furrowing. "You wouldn't be disappointed?"

Janet smiled. "Of course not, dear. You...you just do what you feel you need to do, not what you think I or anyone else wants. Take your time and think if this is really what you want."

Kristin nodded quietly, wringing her hands together as she thought. In her heart, she knew it was something she had to do in order to have closure, and her heightened nervousness was just the manifestation of all her fears. She had to stop running from it. "I...I've made my decision," she finally said, turning to Janet. "I'm ready."

"You're sure?"

She nodded. "I'm sorry I worried you, but we...we can't sit here all day. We can go to the cemetery now."

Janet laughed softly. "You haven't taken a good look around, have you?" She pointed across the street. "We're already here."

Kristin followed her gaze and saw the well-kept graveyard just a short distance away. "Oh. I didn't-"

Janet gave her hand a squeeze. "Did you want me to go with you?"

"I...I think I should probably go alone, but..." She motioned to the box of tissues in the console. "I'll probably need a few of these."

"Help yourself and take all the time you need." She paused. "Do you know where it is?"

She bit her lip, looking back in the direction of the cemetery. "Not exactly..."

"Follow the path until you see two mausoleums. You can't miss them. Nathan's grave is in the one on the east side."

"All right," she replied, swallowing hard. "I guess this is it."

"I'll be right here," Janet replied. She took a book out of the center console. "Take all the time you need."

Kristin nodded and then placed her hand on the door handle. She took a deep breath before opening it, realizing it was now or never. "I'll see you soon then."

She heard Janet say, "Good luck," as she shut the door behind her.

__-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_ _

Kristin wasn't sure how she managed to even walk because her legs felt as though they were made of jelly. But as she neared the entrance, she felt somewhat calmer. Perhaps it was the fact that she didn't really see anyone else. There were a few gardeners in the distance tending to flowers, but they didn't seem to pay her much mind. She felt as though she had a bit of privacy to do what she needed. She walked past several rows of headstones before she saw the two mausoleums Janet had mentioned just over a small hill in the path.

She stopped for a brief moment to collect her thoughts. Although her stomach was still a bit upset, she wasn't going to turn back now. She took shut her eyes tightly and took a deep breath before forcing herself toward the correct mausoleum.

Although Janet hadn't told her which side Nathan's grave was on, she was almost positive she knew, noticing several bouquets placed on the right side. Standing in front of the wall of graves, she briefly scanned the names before she saw his name etched in the stone on the bottom row: _Captain Nathan Hale Bridger. Born November 10, 1962. Died March 7, 2019._

A cold chill made its way down her spine, and the words on the grave suddenly blurred. She wiped away the tears with her hands, kneeling down before the grave. "I'll bet you didn't expect to see me here," she choked out, her voice barely above a whisper as a few more tears fell. She shook her head. "I didn't want to come at first. I...I have mixed feelings about being here now."

Even though her voice trembled, she found it easier to speak as she went on. "I...I was just so angry. I...I'm still angry. I thought I was angry with you..." She placed her fingers on the gravestone. "...but that's not the case. I...I could never be angry with you. You couldn't possibly have known..." A soft sob escaped her throat, but she swallowed it back. "None of us could."

She took a few shaky breaths, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. "I realized I was angry at myself. I took for granted that I thought you'd always be here. We never think about what could happen, do we?" She sighed. "From the moment we met... I knew you were something special. I wanted to tell you...so many things. But fear held me back. You were still mourning, and I didn't...I wasn't sure you were ready to hear what I had to say. I had assumed we had plenty of time to have that conversation when the time was right. I thought you'd always be here." She shook her head. "If...if only I'd known..."

She felt another sob wrack her body. "I...I am so sorry I never told you all I needed to say. I never imagined how it would be not to see you every day, not to see your smile..." Her emotions finally consumed her, and she had to let them all out. She put her head in her hands and let all her pent-up emotions out. Although she hadn't expected to break down completely, she felt it was necessary. Perhaps she'd be able to leave some of her feelings with him and move on...for good. After several minutes, she felt her tears subside.

"I...I hope you've forgiven me," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "The only thing helping me get through all this is the fact I believe you're still with me. I...I'm sure you're staring down from Heaven, and I...I hope we'll eventually be together so I can tell you how much I love you in person." She lovingly placed her hand on the stone. "I...I miss you everyday, and I...I just hope I can make you proud." After several long moments, she placed her fingers to her lips and blew a kiss. "I...I suppose you know I have to go, but I'll...I'll always be with you. Goodbye."

__-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_ _

Janet didn't get much reading done. Several times over, she'd thought of going after her, just to make sure she was all right. Although they'd only just met, she already felt a bond with Kristin and felt the need to protect her. Still, she knew this was something she had to do on her own, so she held back and didn't go wandering about the cemetery after all. She kept glancing towards the entrance, though, hoping to catch sight of her.

"You need to stop being a mother hen," she muttered to herself. "Kristin's a big girl. She has to do this by herself. She'll be fine."

She gave a shake of her head, deciding she didn't sound very convincing, however. She sighed and set her book down. She was getting rather annoyed with reading the first page about fifty times over and not really comprehending what it was she was reading.

"Maybe I should just go check if she's okay..." She glanced at the clock. "It's been almost an hour..." She continued her mental debate when she heard the passenger door open. Glancing over, she saw the younger woman looking a bit disheveled, her face tear-stained and puffy. She didn't want to bring attention to it, though. "Everything go all right?" She hoped she didn't sound too cheerful.

"Better than I thought it would," Kristin replied quietly. "I...I do feel better."

"That's good. I'm glad to hear it." She reached over and squeezed her hand. "He'll always be with you, you know."

She nodded. "I know."

"Well, what do you say we stop and get something to eat? I know a great little place right up the street."

Kristin shook her head. "Thank you for the offer, but I'm...I'm rather exhausted. Can we just go back to the house?"

"Whatever you'd like," Janet replied, starting the car. "Besides, we have plenty to eat at home."

Kristin didn't offer a reply. She leaned her head up against the window and closed her eyes. Janet bit her lip in worry, wondering if she really was all right.

Kristin spoke first, though. "I really am glad you talked me into this," she told her. "I don't think I could have done it without you."

The older woman smiled to herself. "Yes, you could have. You just needed a little push."


	17. Justice Is Gone

**Pearl Harbor**

"I wonder if the boys are up yet," Janet offered as she pulled the car into the driveway. "If so, I thought I'd make a nice breakfast for all of us. Maybe some pancakes? How does that sound?" She looked at Kristin expectantly and bit her lip in worry. The poor thing looked like she'd been put through the wringer. Her face was pale with dark circles around her eyes. She suppressed a sigh as she waited for her to answer.

Only Kristin shook her head. "That sounds nice, but...I'd just like to go upstairs, if you don't mind. I'd like to have a bit of a nap; I doubt there'll be any time this afternoon."

"Very well," Janet replied, trying not to sound disappointed. The rest would probably do her well, so she couldn't protest too much. "I'll save you a plate and you can eat before you go."

The younger woman simply nodded as they walked inside.

Bill Noyce was sitting on the sofa with a cup of coffee and the morning paper. "Did you two have fun doing your...well, whatever it is you two have been off doing?"

Janet laughed slightly. "Of course we did; we didn't want to wake you."

"I've only been up for a short while anyway. Lucas is still asleep."

"Good. I thought I'd make a big breakfast to send them off." She turned to Kristin. "You just go rest, dear. We'll wake you on time."

Kristin quietly excused herself as Janet stared after her worriedly. It took her a few seconds to realize Bill had been calling her name. "Sorry, what?"

"I asked what you were thinking of making, but you're suddenly lost in your own world." He glanced towards the stairs. "Something tells me you didn't have as much fun as you'd like me to believe."

"It was...nice," she replied lamely.

He reached out to take her hand and ushered her to sit next to him. "You're worried about her?"

She lowered her voice. "Of course I am. Have you seen her?" She clicked her tongue. "I'm just...I know if Nathan were here, he'd want us to take care of her."

"Don't you think that's what I'm doing? That's exactly why she's going back to the _seaQuest_. She'll be safer there than anywhere."

"I know, and I agree that's where she should be, but... I'm worried she'll shut everyone out, pretend to be fine when she really isn't. Can the rest of the crew recognize that? Will they be able to handle that?" She glanced back towards the staircase. "I fear that's what she's already doing. She's strong, but she's...vulnerable."

"She already has strict instructions not to work until she's better, and Dr. Levin will give her a thorough examination to determine that...both physical and mental. I think I've covered all the bases."

Janet rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, Bill; you know as well as I that your strict instructions mean very little. Isn't defiance her middle name?"

"I wouldn't say that."

"The point is, she'll probably end up going back to work before she's really ready. She'll try to use it as an escape, a crutch." She shook her head. "You need to do something a bit more...drastic."

"What do you suggest? I lock her in the brig?" he quipped.

She smiled softly. "Of course not, but...I think she and you have a better understanding of one another now, don't you?"

"I...suppose, but what does that-"

"She trusts you," she spoke over him. "If you were to stay on the _seaQuest_ for a few days, she might be more likely to listen to you. If you see her doing too much, you could just tell her so."

He shook his head. "I can't just up and stay there."

"Why not?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "Can't you just give orders to someone else? Surely, they can handle things without you for a few days. Besides, you're only a vid-phone call away if they need you." She softened a bit. " _Please,_ Bill. Call it women's intuition or whatever you like, but I just...I have a bad feeling about this. We've already lost one dear friend, and I don't want to lose another. If you don't, I'll be packing."

A brow rose. "You'll leave me?"

"No, I mean, I'll be going with her. Now how would you explain that to the brass?" she challenged.

He sighed. "She's not going to take kindly to needing a babysitter."

"Which is why you don't tell her why you're really going. Tell her the brass wants you to keep an eye on the crew to ensure they can run without Nathan. It sounds plausible, doesn't it? And after a few days, if things are going well, you can come back home."

"And if they're not?"

"You'll know what to do. I just...I'd just feel better."

"Are you going to be able to survive without me for a few days?"

She leaned into him, giving him a hug. "Of course I can. Besides, I think we both know she needs you more than I do right now, even if she won't admit it."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Australia**

Dr. Daniel Warren ran a hand through his dark hair and tried to focus on the screen in front of him. "You really had to call me this early in the morning...or middle of the night, I should say?" he asked, giving the younger man a displeased frown.

"I...I am well aware of the time, and believe me, we're all losing sleep over this," Larry replied. "Bourne told me to call you. We...we really don't know who else we can trust..."

"All right, all right," Daniel said, heaving a sigh. "Be waiting for me at the front door in fifteen minutes to let me in."

"Thank you so much," Larry gushed.

"Just tell Bourne he'll owe me big for this." He then cut the link and let out a groan. He didn't want to mention that he himself felt under the weather. Could it have been that Indian takeaway he'd eaten before bed? He thought that butter chicken tasted a bit off. That didn't explain the body aches, though...and it didn't explain the fact he hadn't actually vomited.

"Probably getting a cold," he muttered to himself as he dressed. He then walked to the bathroom to retrieve the packet of purple pills he'd been given, popped one into his mouth, grabbed his medical bag, and headed out the door.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

"How is he?" Dr. Warren asked as soon as Larry let him inside.

"No change," Larry replied, motioning for him to follow him. "We didn't move him either...just in case, so he's still down in the cell."

"That's probably best."

As they walked through the corridors, Larry couldn't help but notice the doctor's appearance. Granted, it was the middle of the night, he'd been rudely pulled out of bed, but Larry still expected him to look a bit more chipper. "If you don't mind me saying so, you sort of look like hell."

Daniel stopped in his tracks and frowned. "I was hoping it wouldn't show."

"You feel okay?" Larry suddenly became worried.

He held up a hand. "I'm fine. I'm just coming down with a cold or something."

A brow rose. "You're sure?"

"Positive. It only hit a few hours ago, but I'm more awake than I look."

Larry simply nodded. Like Bourne had said, they didn't have much of a choice. Dr. Warren was their only hope. They continued through the remaining corridors to find Nathan still lying motionlessly on the floor. He watched as the doctor immediately began his examination.

After a moment, he said, "I'll leave you to do what you need. I'm supposed to let Bourne know you're here." He started to leave when the doctor stopped him.

"How many pills did you say he missed?"

"Eighteen, give or take, I guess," Larry said with a shrug.

"Of the purple pills?"

"Purple pills?" Larry shook his head. "What are you talking about? He's on green pills. There...there aren't any purple pills, are there?"

The doctor stood and walked towards him. "You mean they haven't started you on the purples yet?"

"What...what are you talking about?" he asked again. "You supply our pills. You never gave us any purple pills. When...when did that happen?"

Dr. Warren held up his hands. "I thought everyone knew. They came in the mail with a letter just yesterday. I'd assumed you got them too."

Larry didn't offer an immediate reply. He shut his eyes for a moment, trying to wrap his tired brain around this. Bourne never said a thing about purple pills. Could he have been holding out on them now...keeping them for his own use? He had to get to the bottom of this. "I...I'm supposed to tell Bourne you're here. Just do what you can to help Bridger."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Pearl Harbor**

" _Kristin?"_

_She groaned slightly, still asleep under the warm blankets. "Mmm...not yet..." she muttered. "Jus' five more minutes..."_

_She heard him laugh, causing her eyes to snap open. It sounded just like... She moved to sit up and saw him standing there, giving her that charming smile of his. She shook her head. No...it couldn't be. This was some kind of cruel trick. She decided she must still be asleep, so she rubbed her eyes and looked once again, but he still stood there._

" _You're not dreaming," he said gently, carefully moving to sit next to her._

_Her eyebrows knitted together as she brought a wary hand to his cheek. It felt pleasantly warm. "Nathan..." she breathed softly. "But you...you..."_

_He gently removed her hand from his cheek and placed a kiss to her palm, giving her a nod. "I know, I know...but I'm here now. I am sorry about last time, having to leave you, but I...I had to come back and tell you I heard everything you said earlier."_

" _You did?"_

_He nodded. "I wanted you to know I love you too. I always have, and even if you were angry with me, I...I wouldn't blame you."_

_She shook her head, still very confused. "I... I'm not angry with you, but...how...?"_

_He shrugged. "I'm not really sure. I just know that I never want to leave you again. Please, don't let me go."_

_She wrapped her arms around him and clung to him for dear life. "I don't plan on it...and it doesn't really matter how you got here. I'm just happy you are." Still unsure if it was real, however, she laid her head against his chest and listened for that familiar thump. Tears instantly sprung to her eyes when she felt the light flutter against her cheek. "Oh, Nathan..."_

" _Shh, don't cry, Kris. I...I don't want to see you cry anymore, even if they're happy tears." He rubbed her back and whispered to her in quiet tones. "It...it's all right now. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere. I'll never leave you again, I promise. Please, don't cry."_

_She nodded and pulled away from him, wiping the stray tears from her cheeks. "I'll do anything for you."_

" _I know you will," he replied with a smile. "That's why I knew I had to come back to you."_

" _Oh, Nathan..." she muttered into his chest. "I-"_

"Kristin?"

Someone gently shook her shoulder. "Nathan?" she muttered, still asleep.

"No, sweetie, it's me," Janet replied. "It's time to get up."

She awoke with a gasp, seeing Janet's face creased in worry.

Janet placed a careful hand on her shoulder. "I didn't mean to startle you. You...you were sleeping so soundly, but I wanted to give you enough time to eat and do any last minute things. It's nearly eleven."

Kristin simply nodded and muttered, "Thank you. I...I'll be down shortly."

The older woman started towards the door but stopped in the doorway and turned back to her. "You can't expect it to happen overnight, you know."

Kristin's brow furrowed in question. "I'm sorry?"

"To feel...more like your old self again," she said, walking back to the bed and sitting at the foot. "You were talking in your sleep about him."

She felt a rush of heat spread to her cheeks and lowered her gaze, fiddling with the end of the comforter. "I..."

"It's all right. I didn't... All I know is that you were dreaming of him. Maybe that was his way of showing you he was all right? That's a rather comforting thought, isn't it?"

"Yes, but... It wasn't quite like that," she replied, shaking her head before looking at her once again. "It was...very strange."

"Dreams always are, aren't they?"

She shook her head again and placed her hand on Janet's arm. "He was sitting right where you are right now. It...it seemed so real."

"Oh, Kristin..." Janet put an arm around her shoulders. "Some dreams are like that. We'll dream of people we know are gone, and our minds play tricks on us, make us think they're really here when there's no way they possibly could be. But it was just a dream, honey. I'm sorry."

"But I felt his heart beating...and...and his cheeks were so warm," she protested, feeling tears spring to her eyes, though they were more out of frustration than sadness. "He was _here_ , and he was _real_."

Kristin heard the older woman sigh heavily, but she didn't speak right away. Instead, she gently stroked her hair and rocked her. "And what did he say to you?" she finally asked.

"That he'd never leave me." She pulled away, wiping her eyes. "You believe me, don't you?"

Janet bit her bottom lip. "I wish I could, dear. I wish it were real, more than you know. But what I...I do believe is that Nathan's doing his best to comfort you from beyond, and for that, you should feel very lucky." She gently patted her shoulder before standing up. "I should probably leave you to get ready, unless you still need me?"

The younger woman shook her head, since her efforts to convince her Nathan had been here were futile.

"Then I'll see you downstairs," she replied before leaving the room.

Kristin watched her go and then let out a frustrated sigh. She knew she sounded like a crazy person all of a sudden, and she couldn't exactly blame Janet for her reaction. If she were in her shoes, she'd do the same thing, but she couldn't be sure what exactly had happened before she woke. "I swear he was here," she muttered to herself as she got out of bed and began making it. As she was doing so, a thought occurred to her and she bent down to look under the bed.

"Naturally," she said to herself when she found it empty, but she still needed a bit more convincing and looked in the closet. Again, she found it empty and shook her head. "Maybe...maybe Janet's right," she finally said, running a hand through her hair. "It was just his way of trying to help me deal with things." It wasn't the first time strange dream phenomena had been experienced by the _seaQuest_ crew.

Upon discovering they were all having a collective dream about Darwin concerning Milos Teslov, it had come as quite a shock. But after the entire incident, they'd never mentioned it to one another again, knowing it was futile to try to figure it out. Perhaps this was no different. Perhaps the others were having similar dreams? She'd have to find out later, and maybe that would put her mind at ease. For now, however, she'd have to push on and try to forget about it.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Australia**

As soon as Alexander Bourne had heard about this purple pill business, he hurried down to Nathan's cell to confront Dr. Warren himself with Larry following on his heels.

When they arrived, the doctor was carefully filling a syringe with some sort of clear solution from a medicine vial. "What about the purple pills?" Bourne demanded, causing the doctor to jump and nearly drop the filled syringe.

"You should know better than to do that," he scolded as he turned to them. "I've already explained it to Larry. I had assumed they'd sent you the same thing. I don't control the medications; you know that."

Bourne motioned to Bridger. "Is that why he is...the way he is? Is that going to happen to us?"

"No, I..." He suddenly stopped short, turning his head to cough.

"Are you feeling okay?" Bourne asked a few moments later. "That cough sounds awful"

"It's just a cold," he replied, waving a hand. "I'll be fine, and so will you. All the purple pill does is replace the green and red pills, but as long as you're still taking your regular doses, you have nothing to worry about." He moved to inject Nathan's leg. "This...this should wake him right up."

Nathan's eyes instantly fluttered open, but he still looked rather dazed.

The doctor placed a hand on his shoulder and handed him a green pill. "You need to get back on your normal dosing schedule, or you're going to wind up in the same boat once again."

Nathan took the pill and swallowed but didn't speak as the doctor turned back to Bourne. "He's going to have to be monitored, so I'll have to-" At that moment, a loud beeping coming from his watch sounded. "Oh...excuse me."

Bourne watched as he took a packet of purple pills out of his pocket and swallowed one before going into another coughing fit that lasted several seconds.

"Whoa, Doc," Larry said, going to his side. "You okay?"

Dr. Warren held up a hand and choked out, "I...I'm..." But he suddenly began retching, saliva and droplets of blood flying onto the floor.

Larry handed him a bottle of water, but he was coughing too hard to be able to take it from him. "What can we do for you?"

Dr. Warren shook his head, still coughing and unable to speak.

Larry turned to Bourne. "What...what do we do?" he cried frantically.

Alexander didn't offer a reply. He already knew what was happening; the doctor was too far gone. He watched as Dr. Warren fell to the floor, clutching his chest and convulsing violently.

Larry rushed to his side. "We...we have to do something!"

The convulsions stopped a few seconds later, and the doctor's body lay perfectly still, his glassy eyes staring lifelessly at the ceiling as a small trickle of blood rolled out the side of his mouth.

Bourne slowly walked up behind Larry, who was still sitting next to Daniel calling his name. He placed a hand on his shoulder in an effort to calm him. "There was nothing we could have done. It was already too late."

"What...what do we do now?" he choked out.

"Take care of the body; get Mason to help you if you need. There's no one we can call. It would be a death sentence. Just be sure to keep an eye on Bridger and don't let him miss another pill."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Pearl Harbor**

One hour later, Kristin and Lucas were in the Noyce's living room, bags in hand saying their goodbyes.

Janet gave Lucas a long, tight embrace. "If you ever need anything..."

"I know, I know," Lucas told her. "You're just a vid-phone call away."

"Just take care of yourself...and stay out of trouble," she said before releasing him.

"Oh, I'll make sure of that," Kristin assured her as Janet moved to give her a bone-crushing hug.

"I'll miss you so much," Janet whispered to her. "And if you need to talk, call me anytime, day or night."

"I promise," Kristin whispered back before the hug was broken. "I really can't thank you and the admiral enough for everything."

"Oh, don't mention it," Janet said, waving a hand. "Just say you'll be back, and that'll be thanks enough." She glanced at the clock. "Excuse me; I don't know what's keeping Bill." She moved to the stairs. "Bill, the others are waiting," she called. "Aren't you going to come down and say goodbye?"

A minute later, the admiral descended the stairs holding a bag of his own. "I am sorry it took so long, but I actually won't be saying goodbye. It seems you two are going to have to put up with me for a few days."

"You mean you're coming with us?" Lucas asked.

Bill nodded. "Orders from the brass, I'm afraid. They want me to ensure everything is running smoothly and don't want to take Commander Ford's word for it, unfortunately. I know you two were looking forward to not having me around, but...well, there's nothing that can be done."

"Oh, don't be silly, Admiral," Kristin said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "That's a lie and you know it."

"Just don't spread it around," he told her, giving her a smile. "Why don't you two go outside while I say goodbye to my wife?"

Kristin and Lucas obliged while Bill pulled Janet into his arms. "Did I sound convincing?" he asked her.

She nodded. "I don't think either of them will suspect a thing. Just be sure to take care of them...and yourself."

"Anything for you, dear. I'll call you later. I love you."

"Love you, too," she replied as he walked out the door.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Australia**

Larry sighed heavily. He and Mason had just finished 'taking care' of the body, which meant bringing his remains down to the basement to be burned in the incinerator. It wasn't that he was unaccustomed to handling dead bodies. Obviously, working for Bourne, he'd done it before, but this was the first time it'd been a friend. Not only that, he didn't quite know what Bourne had meant: that calling anyone else would be a death sentence.

"I don't know why we couldn't see if he had any other family. Won't they miss him?"

Mason rolled his eyes as he started the fire and closed the door. "You don't know what's going on, do you?"

"And you do?"

"Okay, you got me," he replied. "I didn't know right away, but once Bourne explained it." He paused. "Just tell me you won't freak out."

"I'm not going to freak out."

Mason crossed his arms and gave him a look.

He sighed. "I'll try not to freak out, okay? Just tell me."

"All right, kid. Bourne didn't tell you because he was worried you couldn't handle it, but you're going to find out eventually. I figure it's pointless to delay the inevitable. Bourne says they're shutting down the program."

"Okay...and that means what?"

The older man sighed. "You know those pills Doc Warren was taking? Bourne says they're what killed him."

"How can he be so sure?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, but Bourne says we can't trust anyone else right now."

Larry shook his head. "What about our meds? If the whole program gets shut down, what does that mean for us?" He tried to keep his voice steady, but he knew he failed.

"You promised me you wouldn't freak out," Mason warned. "Look, I...I don't know, but he promised he'd think of something." He glanced up at the clock. "You'd better get back up to Bridger's cell. We can't make mistakes anymore, you know. And try not to worry. Bourne won't let us die; he promised."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

"How're you feeling," Larry asked as soon as he entered Nathan's cell.

"I've been better, but I'll live," he replied, his voice rough. "Are you okay?"

Larry eyes widened slightly. "Oh, you mean...?" He motioned to where the doctor had been lying just a short while before. "Yeah, of course. I'm fine. It...it happens."

His brow furrowed. "Something tells me you're over-compensating."

The younger man simply shrugged. "It's time for your pill." He held out his hand. "Take it," he urged, helping him sit up and then handing him a bottle of water and a green pill.

After swallowing, Nathan eyed him carefully. "I take it that the doctor's death wasn't in the plan?"

"Uh, well..." Larry began when the sound of footsteps caused him to pause.

"I'm so glad to see you feeling better."

Both men turned their gaze to the hallway, seeing Bourne standing there.

"Better isn't quite the word I'd use," Nathan replied, "but I'm alive."

"And you should be grateful for that," Bourne replied, stepping inside the cell. "And to make sure it stays that way, Larry's going to stay with you the whole time, and he'll be in charge of your doses. That'll reduce the chances for error. And to answer your earlier question, no, it wasn't."

Larry stood up and looked towards Bourne. "So, what...?"

He held up a halting hand. "Mason already told me he explained things to you," he replied. "He said you took it better than we expected." He nodded his head towards Nathan. "Did you tell him what's going on?"

"I haven't had the chance."

"Guess I get to be the bearer of bad news then," Bourne replied, giving Nathan a peculiar smile that made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.

He swallowed hard, definitely not in the mood for whatever game Bourne wanted to play. "Please, don't draw this out. Just...just get to the point."

Bourne frowned, shooting him a glare. "I'll let that go, assuming that's the epinephrine talking. The point is that I warned you this would happen. You do recall what I said, don't you?"

He brought a hand to his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. Bourne had said a lot of things, and being ill had dulled his memory. "You'll need to be a bit more specific."

"You do remember what I said about them shutting down the program?"

Nathan's eyebrows knitted together. "Vaguely. So you mean more murder-suicides?"

"Oh, if only it were that easy." Bourne clicked his tongue. "Unfortunately, they think they're a bit smarter than that now. They've resorted to other means, something less messy, less noticeable."

"Just what the hell does that mean?"

"The late doctor was just one of their many victims. We'd be six feet under, too, if we weren't living under the radar...considering they think we're already dead. They're killing them all slowly and making it look natural with those purple pills he was taking. Every last pill-popping guinea pig will be gone. I'll guarantee those pills will be untraceable on any toxicology report."

There was a long pause before anyone spoke. Larry was the first to speak. "So...so now what?"

Bourne kept his eyes fixed on Nathan. "That depends on what side Bridger's on."

"I'm not on anyone's side," he protested, holding up his hands. "I'm completely neutral."

"You can't be Switzerland forever, Bridger. You don't agree with their tactics, do you?"

"Of course not, but-"

"And you'd like to expose them for the evil bastards they are, wouldn't you?"

He shook his head. "They're not all like that."

"Just answer the question, Bridger," he snapped. "We're running out of time, and we need your help. You're one of us now, whether you like it or not."

Nathan sighed. Bourne definitely had a point. "What sort of help? I'm at your mercy, and you know it."

Bourne smiled. "Much as I'd like to gloat in that fact, you have connections on the other side...the ones that aren't involved in this mess. We need a doctor."

"And just what makes you think-"

" _SeaQuest_ employs some of the best doctors around, doesn't it?"

Nathan's blood instantly began to boil at the thought of Kristin or Joshua being dragged into this, but he did his best to keep his voice steady when he answered, "No."

"Then we're all dead," Bourne replied quietly. "And so are future generations. That'll be on your head."

Nathan pursed his lips. He didn't have much of a choice, did he? If he ever had any hopes of getting back home, his hands were tied. "All...all right, but I have some stipulations."

"Whatever you like. We'll make a deal."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Pearl Harbor**

As they pulled up to the docks, Kristin's heart fluttered slightly when she saw the rest of the senior staff already waiting there. It's not that she wasn't excited to see them; quite the opposite, but she also knew that she was going to be bombarded with sympathy, and she feared questions about the lab incident. The last thing she wanted to think about was her security clearance. _At least Andrea Dre isn't here,_ she thought, breathing a sigh of relief _._

"Looks like the welcoming party's already here," Bill commented as they got out of the car and grabbed their bags.

Kristin tried to act casual as she walked up to the group. "Long time, no see," she said, offering them a weak smile.

Ben immediately put his arms around her. "You can say that again. How are you?"

"I'm fine, really," she replied as Ben moved aside and Katie took his place.

"We were so worried," she gushed. "We thought we might lose you too."

Kristin swallowed hard, trying to force back the tears that threatened to fall. "That won't happen without a fight," she assured her. "I'm not going anywhere."

"And neither am I," Bill broke in. "It seems that I'll be accompanying all of you for the next few days, orders from the brass."

Kristin couldn't help but smile to herself. _Bless his heart!_ She wasn't sure if he'd known she needed someone to shift the focus off her, but she was extremely grateful for him then. Perhaps his presence was a blessing in disguise. She certainly could use some blessings these days.

Jonathan's brow rose. "So that's two extra bodies we'll have."

"Two?" the admiral asked.

"Guess we both had the same idea, Billy."

Kristin cringed upon hearing the secretary general's voice and nearly jumped as she felt her arm go around her shoulders.

"You see, I just didn't feel right, considering everything that's happened, leaving Dr. Westphalen to fend for herself," Andrea explained, gently placing her hand under Kristin's chin, urging her to turn to her. "I'll personally see to it that you're well taken care of from now on."

However, Kristin gently shrugged her away and shook her head. "That really isn't necessary at all."

"That's right," Chief Crocker protested. "My team and I will make sure the doc is safe. We won't let anyone hurt her."

"And I'm a big girl." Kristin didn't like the thought of having to depend on everyone to protect her, so she felt it warranted saying. "I don't need-"

The secretary general held up a halting hand. "There's no need to put on a brave face, darling. We all know you've been through so much lately, and the brass did want to ensure you'd be properly protected."

"Which is exactly why I'm here," Bill reminded her. "Andrea, I think both of us would be overkill."

"I completely agree," Andrea replied with a smile. "I'm sure you'll be delighted to know you can go back home to your wife."

Kristin's heart sank at the thought, but thankfully, Bill put his foot down.

"I've spent all morning packing, and I'll be damned if I let all that go to waste now," he replied. "You should know that I'm more than capable of-"

Andrea sighed. "I never said you weren't capable, Bill. Don't put words into my mouth, please." She snaked an arm around Kristin's shoulders once again. "It's just that I think Kristin here needs a woman's touch. Sometimes only a woman can understand the pain another is experiencing."

"And what am I, chopped liver?" Katie muttered.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that, Commander," Dre replied before turning back to Kristin. "It seems we have a bit of a conundrum then. And I was so looking forward to the chats we'd have, but I suppose the only fair thing is to have you choose."

_Oh, for goodness sake! Dre certainly was an expert in making her feel guilty,_ Kristin thought bitterly. She couldn't possibly get rid of her now, much as she'd like. "Who says you both can't come?"

Dre's brow rose. "You think?"

"Of...of course. That way the admiral can keep an eye on the bridge, and if I need a shoulder to cry on, you'll be there for me." Kristin nearly vomited in her mouth. Did...did she really just say that? "Of...of course, I'll be spending most of my time lying down. I am still quite exhausted."

"Of course," Dre replied, turning to Bill. "I guess it's settled then."

"There's no need to dally about," the admiral said with a nod. "Everybody, on board."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

One hour later, the _seaQuest_ had launched, and Kristin found herself being escorted to her room by the admiral.

"You know, Andrea means well, even if she comes on rather strong," he told her as they walked inside.

"Perhaps, but something tells me this has more to do with my bloody security clearance than my well-being," she replied.

He sighed. "I can't say I don't agree with you, but I do think she actually cares."

"I wish she'd care a little more about the others. I'd love nothing more than for her to ignore me again."

"That's why I have her watching the bridge at the moment," he said with a laugh. "And this situation is only temporary. It won't last forever."

"Thank God for that," she replied as she took her bag from him and set it on her bunk. "Though I can't wait until my security clearance goes back to normal."

After a pause that lasted several seconds, Bill said, "Are you going to be all right if I-" He nodded his head towards the door.

"Of course," she said with a sigh. "While I appreciate everyone's concern, I don't need to be fawned over."

"You know Janet would hang me by the neck if I let anything happen to you. I just needed to be sure."

Kristin placed a gentle kiss to his cheek. "We can't let that happen. I'll tell her you were a perfect gentleman if you'd like when she calls."

"I might take you up on that." He placed a hand on her shoulder, giving her a smile. "Get some rest, Kristin. And I'll be sure Andrea doesn't disturb you."


	18. Pulling Your Strings

_**seaQuest** _

After unpacking, Kristin lay on her bunk, but she wasn't too keen on actually sleeping. Her fatigue was more of a minor annoyance at the moment, and it wasn't anything she couldn't handle. Not only that, she was a bit leery of the dreams she'd been having lately. She didn't want to have a breakdown in the middle of the day where the others might catch wind of it. She was sure they knew she was a little vulnerable right now, but she didn't want Andrea Dre rushing in, thinking she was going to comfort her in her time of need.

She shuddered at the thought, wishing she hadn't asked her to stay. "Just a few days; all you have to do is play nice with her for a few days," she muttered before pushing herself off her bunk. She paced for a couple of minutes, wondering how she could keep herself busy. She glanced to the bookshelf, but she didn't really feel like reading. She didn't feel like watching television or listening to music either.

"Ugh, you've only been on the boat for all of five seconds and you're already going stir-crazy?" She shook her head in frustration until she spied her PAL unit on the table next to her bunk.

"That's it," she said with a snap of her fingers, picking up her PAL and holding a button.

"What do you..." He cleared his throat. "Sorry; Wolenczak."

She smiled softly to herself. "Rough day already?"

"You could say that," Lucas replied. "I'm not allowed to do anything but hang out in my room for the next few days, and I'm bored out of my mind."

"You're not the only one."

"You, too?"

"Indeed, but there's no reason why we need to stay cooped up in our quarters, is there?"

"But Secretary Dre said-"

"Oh, never mind what she said. We're not made of glass, and as long as we're not working, I don't see the harm in having a little fun, do you?"

"No, I guess not. What did you have in mind?"

"I'll come to your room, and we'll see what we can do for our boredom, okay?"

"Sure thing, Doc; see you shortly."

__-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_ _

Five minutes later, she knocked on Lucas' door.

"It's open," he called.

She let herself in to find him sitting at his computer. Although there was some sort of game on the screen, he didn't appear to be playing it. His character, some sort of military soldier, was getting attacked by zombies. A moment later, the anguished groan of death could be heard and a message flashed on the screen: _Oh, no, the zombies have eaten your brain! Try again?_

"I think the point is to defeat _them_ , not let them defeat _you_ ," she teased gently, taking a seat on his bunk.

He shut the game off and gave a her a shrug. "I never thought I'd get to the point where I'd be sick of playing computer games," he said, giving her a smile. "I knew we wouldn't be working right away, but I didn't think we'd be treated like prisoners."

"We're not prisoners; at least, I don't think that's what the admiral intended. We're just supposed to take it easy, considering everything that's happened the past few days. It really shouldn't be any different than staying with the Noyces."

"Maybe not," he said with a shrug, "but the secretary general has other plans. I don't know what she's so worried about. She's never really fawned over us before."

She shrugged. "But things are much different now. I suspect the brass is up in arms, so to speak, about the recent tragedies, and they want to ensure nothing else happens."

"And they thought that keeping us locked in our rooms would be better for everyone?" he asked with a raised brow.

She laughed softly. "I think she just wants to make sure we don't get hurt, but I'm sure we can't get hurt visiting Darwin, can we?" She motioned to the aqua tubes, where Darwin was swimming. He must have sensed what was going on, since he nodded his head excitedly.

Lucas looked over his shoulder at him. "I said hello to him earlier...before I was forced to go and rest," he told her. "I'm surprised she didn't confine _him_ to his quarters too."

"We both know what he'd do if he was."

"Yeah, spray her in the face with water," he said with a grin. His smile then faded as quickly as it came. "I wish things were back to the way they were before. I'd give anything to be able to come and go like I used to."

She put her hand over his. "I know; so do I, but we...we'll just have to make the best of it. That's what the captain would want." She paused for a minute. "Could I ask you something?"

He turned to her. "Of course."

She took a deep breath and then asked, "Have you had any strange dreams lately?"

His brow furrowed. "What sort of dreams? You mean about the captain?"

She nodded quietly.

"Sure, I've had a few. You?"

"Yes...and sometimes...it's hard to distinguish between the dream world and reality." She swallowed hard, blinking back the tears that crept up. "The dreams...they seem so real."

"I think that's normal," he replied. "I have dreams about my grandpa too, and he died when I was twelve. I'll bet if you asked around, the others are having the same thing."

She nodded, lowering her gaze to the floor. "I was just curious is all."

After a minute, Lucas put his hand on her shoulder. "Hey, you okay?"

"Of course, I'm fine." She felt somewhat better now that she knew she wasn't the only one and didn't feel like dwelling on it any longer. She decided it was time to change the subject. She motioned to the aqua tubes where Darwin still swam back and forth excitedly. "I don't think we should keep him waiting any longer." She put his arm around his shoulders and ushered him out the door.

Thankfully, the corridor was clear. She was sure both Secretary Dre and Admiral Noyce were still busy on the bridge, so no one would reprimand them for walking about. They quietly made their way to C-deck. Darwin must have sensed where they were going because he peeked his head up over the edge and immediately began whistling and squeaking.

Lucas immediately grabbed the vocoder and turned it on.

"Lucas play! Doctor Kristin play! Have fun!" He tossed a ball towards them with his nose.

Lucas caught it. "Calm down, fish face. We'll play, but you need to keep it quiet." He lowered his voice. "If Secretary Dre finds out, we could get into trouble, got it?"

"Got it."

He turned to Kristin. "I don't suppose we can go swimming?"

She shook her head. "I'm not sure we should risk it, but we can easily play a game this way."

Lucas nodded his head towards the far end of the pool. "You go over there. The object of the game is pretty much like basketball, but instead of a hoop, you want to aim for the clock," he said, pointing. "And watch out. Darwin's favorite thing is to distract his opponents with a spray of water."

She gave a nod, and Lucas threw the ball into the pool, where Darwin easily bumped it with his head. The idea of being quiet quickly fell by the wayside, since they all became lost in the game.

"Score!" Lucas shouted, putting his fists up in the air as the ball flew towards the clock.

Kristin ran to catch the ball in the air and tried throwing it back to the clock to score a point of her own when it missed and bounced off the wall and back to Darwin.

Just as Darwin threw the ball with his nose, however, Andrea Dre entered C-deck, and the ball hit her square in the face.

Kristin covered her mouth with her hand, both in shock and in an effort to stifle the giggles that threatened to escape. She rushed to her side and helped her up. "I am so sorry, Secretary. Are you all right?"

The older woman brushed herself off and straightened her blazer. "I am fine, thank you," she replied, but her tone was less than pleasant. "Though I should ask you two what in the world you think you were doing."

Lucas stepped forward. "It's not her fault. I was bored, and I-"

"Lucas, you don't have to do that," Kristin gently chided, turning back to Dre. "It's quite simple. We were feeling a bit cooped up and thought we'd blow off a little steam. Surely, you can understand that."

Dre gave a disapproving snort. "I'm not surprised it was your idea," she said, giving Lucas a glare.

Kristin moved to Lucas' side. "It wasn't-"

Dre ignored her. "Though you do recall being told that you were to _rest?_ That's not what this looks like to me."

"We _were_ resting, but certainly, you can understand that we wanted to have a bit of fun." Kristin did her best to keep her voice steady, though she didn't like the glare Andrea was giving Lucas. "Please, don't blame Lucas. It wasn't his fault; it was mine."

A brow rose. "Do you mean to tell me that you dragged him out of his room and forced him to make a spectacle of himself?" the older woman challenged.

Kristin placed her arm around Lucas' shoulders and whispered, "Go to your room, okay?"

He cast a nervous glance towards the secretary general. "Are...are you sure?"

She nodded and gave him a gentle push. "I'll see you later."

As Lucas obediently left C-deck, Kristin turned back to Andrea, crossing her arms over her chest. "You should be ashamed of yourself, trying to intimidate him. He's just a boy."

"And _you_ should be ashamed of yourself, Doctor. You did promise you'd keep him in line, did you not?" She mimicked Kristin's body language, giving her an expectant look.

Kristin's mouth fell open as her heart sank. "I thought that bargain had fallen by the wayside, considering everything that happened. It's not as though we planned it."

Dre placed a finger to her chin. "Certainly not, but I'm sure when the brass catches wind of this, they won't be too happy. Since Nathan's death, they have been greatly concerned about a child distracting the crew from their work. I think what just happened is a prime example, don't you?"

Kristin instantly saw red, unable to hold her tongue any longer; she was suddenly a grizzly bear protecting her cub. "If you even _think_ about removing him from this boat, you'll lose me and probably half your entire crew. How would you explain that one to the brass, hm?"

Andrea gave her a wicked smile. "I should have known you'd call my bluff." She gave a casual shrug. "Doctor Wolenczak would have all our heads on a platter if we went through with it, but we _do_ expect you two to follow orders."

"Orders?" She shook her head. "Might I remind you, Secretary, that we are _civilians_? We are not a couple of china dolls. Certainly, you can't expect us to stay cooped up in our rooms for days. We're already cleared of our duties. What more do you want?"

"Well, there is the little matter of your security clearance..."

"Oh, would you forget about that bloody security clearance? I am not going to blurt anything out while playing an innocent game of ball with a dolphin! You've made it perfectly clear I'm not to talk about anything I know, so why keep mentioning it?"

The older woman laughed softly. "I just want to make sure you don't forget, I suppose. You should also count yourself extremely lucky that you are not one of my personnel, Doctor, because none of them would be stupid enough to speak to me like that."

"Maybe one of them should," Kristin retorted, no longer willing to play nice.

Dre simply laughed again. "I was always told you were a force to be reckoned with. I'm glad I finally got to see it in person."

Unsure of how to take the comment, she didn't offer an immediate reply.

Dre then took a step forward, bringing her face closer to Kristin's, and lowered her voice. "But know that I am a greater force, and I have the power make your life a living hell if I wanted, is that clear? Whether you like it or not, I am here to make sure nothing else happens to you, Lucas, or the rest of the crew and it's apparent that Bill is way too lenient to enforce it. Contrary to what you may think, I am here because I _care_. Now, I strongly suggest you go back to your room and get some rest, is that understood? And if you still want to act like a spoiled child, I'm sure I can persuade you in other ways. Would you like to try me?"

Kristin pursed her lips and quietly shook her head. Bill had enough to deal with for the time being, and she knew full well that Dre would drag him into this if she refused to comply.

"I thought you'd see it my way," Dre replied with a satisfied smile. "Now, if you're good, I'll bring you a nice cup of tea later."

__-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_ _

Andrea crossed her arms over her chest as she watched the defeated doctor slink back to her room like a frightened puppy with her tail tucked between her legs. She had to admit that she admired the doctor's spunk, and she was almost sorry she was going to have to do away with her. If only they'd have convinced her to join the military force, she could have been a great asset.

Still, she wanted to get this over with sooner rather than later, and though it was unfortunate, she was going to have to tell Bill what had just transpired. Things were going according to plan much faster than she expected. If she played her cards right, she could be back in Pearl by the end of the day or tomorrow at the latest. However, she reminded herself she couldn't rush things...not yet.

She took a sobering breath, deciding to keep this little incident under wraps until just the right time. If she told him about it now, Bill would only coddle the doctor and make excuses for her. She shook her head, knowing that would ruin everything. She'd mention it in passing at the afternoon staff meeting; that way, Bill would be forced to drag her in there and give her a firm talking to.

She smiled softly to herself at the thought. Oh, but she'd play the hero; she'd remind Bill that Kristin just needed some comfort and guidance in this traumatic situation, and naturally, she'd offer her services. She'd beg him to let her off the hook if she could talk to her one on one over tea.

Bill would say what a lovely idea it was, and the doctor would be forced to agree. She patted her pocket, which held the packet of purple pills. All she needed to do was slip one into Kristin's tea, and it would be over in an instant. _Untraceable_. Dr. Downs' words rang like a symphony in her ears, causing her to release a happy sigh. All she had to do was bide her time, and everything would return to normal. And as always, her image would remain squeaky clean.

__-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_ _

Naturally, Kristin couldn't rest after what had transpired between the secretary general and her. Her hands balled into fists when she thought of how she threatened Lucas. For someone who supposedly cared, she had an odd way of showing it.

And knowing Lucas, she was sure the poor thing was on pins and needles after he retired to his room. She desperately wanted to speak to him, especially if he needed comfort, but she wouldn't dare step foot outside her room right now nor she did she think her PAL was very secure. As she glanced around her room for something to keep her occupied, she spied her laptop. She then had a thought; perhaps it was a long-shot, but she had to try.

She opened up her email, and brought up her messaging contacts, found Lucas' name, and clicked on it. A small smile graced her face when she saw his status showed he was indeed online. She brought up a chat-box and messaged him.

 _You okay?_ She bit her lip in anticipation, feeling her teeth sink in so deep that it hurt until she saw the message box blink, meaning he'd answered.

_I'm fine, but I should ask you the same thing. What happened with the secretary general?_

_I'm fine, I promise. I'm more worried about you than anything._

_Don't be,_ he told her. _I can take care of myself._

_I know, but..._

_I know, Doc, I know. So what happened?_

_The secretary general and I had some words, and unfortunately, we are on lock-down for the time being. She's here to make sure nothing happens to any of us, and that means you and I need to be good little soldiers and play along, whether we like it or not._

_So I was right. We are prisoners._

_Just for a short while, and as soon as I can talk to the admiral, I'm sure I can explain why we need to have a little recreational time. I know he'll understand._

_I'm sure he will, but you know how it is. Dre says jump and expects everyone to listen._

_Don't I know it. Well, I suppose I should try to lie down for a bit, now that I know you're all right._

_I really appreciate you checking on me, Doc. Sleep well._

_Thank you, sweetheart. Just make sure you don't get caught playing your games._

_I promise. Talk to you later._

She closed her message box and email and shut the lid of her laptop, letting out a sigh. At least a nap would help her forget all this nonsense, and she was sure she'd see Bill at dinner. Then she could fix all this nonsense.

__-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_ _

That afternoon, Andrea could barely contain her excitement as she entered the ward room behind Bill. She did her best to control her nerves, but she felt her hand trembling when she reached for the cup of coffee placed in front of her. Thankfully, no one seemed to notice as Bill started the meeting.

"This isn't a typical staff meeting where each department reports its status, considering Dr. Westphalen and Lucas are absent. And there aren't any missions to plan, so we're just going to discuss the military departments and ensure everything is running smoothly," Bill explained. "The secretary general and I want to report to the brass that everything is running smoothly and that our presence here really isn't necessary; that way we can get out of your hair."

"Oh, come on, sir; we love having you here," Ben gushed. "You and the secretary general, both."

Katie rolled her eyes. "I think you've got a little something on your nose, Ben."

The others laughed, but Dre tapped her coffee cup with her pen. "People, please, this isn't divorce court. Let's save the bickering for when you're off-duty, hm?"

"Yes, ma'am," they muttered.

"Let's get down to business, shall we? Jonathan, why don't you start us off?" Bill suggested.

__-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_ _

"...and it seems to me everything is in working order and running as it should. If there's nothing else, I think we can-"

Andrea saw her golden opportunity and placed a halting hand on Bill's arm. "Actually, there is something I want to address." She bit her lip to stop herself from smiling; she was really trying to lay it on thick. "Though I'm not sure everyone needs to hear it. I just have some concerns about Lucas and Dr. Westphalen."

"Concerns?" Bill asked, exchanging glances with the others.

"They seemed fine at lunch, though I didn't really get to talk with them," Katie piped up.

"What are your concerns, Andrea?"

She let out a sigh and allowed her chin to quiver slightly. "I was making my rounds this morning, and I happened to see the two of them roughhousing with that dolphin on C-deck. Oh, I'm all for allowing crew members to have a bit of fun now and again, but I could tell they were disturbing the scientists in the nearby lab. Not only that, they'd been told to rest, and they obviously ignored orders."

Bill shook his head. "That doesn't quite sound like them. I'm sure there's a logical explanation to what was going on there. I'm sure if you asked them-"

"Indeed, I did," she replied, almost wishing she could squeeze out a few tears. Unfortunately, her acting skills weren't as advanced as she'd like, so she settled for a shaky voice. "I...I simply suggested that they were to rest, and the doctor..."

"What?" Bill pressed.

"She...she bit my head off." She shook her head. "She sent Lucas to his room, and she and I had a rather heated discussion. In the end, she relented and returned to her quarters, but..." She sighed. "Though I've tried, I just can't seem to forget it. I was going to let it slide, considering everything that she's been through, but I...I just don't feel right about it all. I think we need to talk with her, maybe tell her how her behavior is affecting everyone."

"What, like an intervention?" Ben asked.

"Exactly," Andrea replied. "I think she needs to be reminded that the rest of us still care about her."

Jonathan shook his head. "She already knows that. I'm sure whatever happened between the two of you is just that; I don't think we all need to be present."

"I think the commander's right," Bill replied. "I think we should talk to her alone first, and then if we need, we can discuss it at tomorrow's meeting?"

Andrea shrugged. "Very well, if that's what you feel is best."

"Meeting adjourned, then. Uh, Mr. Krieg, could you go and tell Dr. Westphalen we need to see her?"

Ben nodded. "Not a problem."

__-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_ _

Although Kristin hadn't enjoyed being cooped up, she had since found something to occupy her time. Joshua had brought her some fascinating scientific journal studies he'd recently found and thought she'd enjoy reading them, and he was right. After lunch, she became immersed in an article detailing a study on the colossal squid when she received a knock at her door.

She frowned, hoping it wasn't the secretary general with that cup of tea. She was still upset over this morning's incident and wasn't quite ready to see her yet. She was pleasantly surprised, however, when she saw Ben's smiling face.

"Ben, what a surprise! Have you come to rescue me from boredom?" She stepped aside to let him pass.

He entered the room with a grin. "I wish I could, but this isn't exactly a social call."

"Oh..." She tried to hide her disappointment but fell short. "I'm sorry. I didn't meant to sound so rude."

He put an arm around her shoulders. "I don't blame you, and I promise, as soon as I get a free moment, I'll stop in and talk your ear off. But I'm only here to accompany to the ward room."

Her heart skipped a beat. "The ward room? Please, don't tell me this has anything to do with Andrea Dre."

"All right, I won't." He opened the door and waved his arm. "After you."

She didn't attempt to move, however and sighed. "Is the admiral upset?"

He shrugged. "He seemed more surprised than anything. I think he wants to get your side of the story. Did you really bite her head off?"

"Y-yes, but...she was horribly nasty, and I was protecting Lucas."

Ben closed the door once again. "Lucas? You mean she tried to hurt him?"

"No, it wasn't anything like that, but..." She sighed. "It's kind of a long story, and we probably shouldn't keep them waiting."

"I could tell them I got a little sidetracked?" he offered. "They'd expect it from me anyway."

She gave his hand a grateful squeeze. "All right, but I'll make it as quick as possible."

__-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_ _

As the rest of the senior staff were returning back to their posts, Jonathan approached the admiral. "Could I talk to you for a moment, sir?"

"Of course, Commander. Is something wrong?"

He shook his head and lowered his voice. "No, but I had some concerns. I was hoping you weren't planning on yelling at the doctor. It's just with everything that's happened, I just... I feel responsible for the entire crew now, and I don't..."

Bill gave him a smile. "I completely understand, and while I appreciate your concern, I don't think you need to worry. I don't plan on doing anything until I hear the entire story."

"Though you will act accordingly if you feel she is at fault, won't you, Billy?" Andrea placed a hand on his arm.

"I'll speak with her, yes," he assured her.

Jonathan frowned. Being the military-oriented man he was, he certainly respected the secretary general, but he didn't always agree with her tactics. No, he and Kristin hadn't always seen eye to eye, but since the captain's death, everything had changed. He was doing his best to fill the captain's shoes, and though he knew he'd always fall short, he felt a special responsibility to protect the entire crew. He knew it's what the captain would have wanted, and he didn't feel right about this situation now. He was about to say so when the intercom went off.

"Admiral?" It was Tim O'Neill.

"Yes, Lieutenant?"

"There's an urgent transmission from Alexander Bourne."

Bill's mouth fell open. "Did...did you say Alexander Bourne? As in...?" His voice trailed off.

Andrea shook her head. "It has to be a trick."

"I don't think so. Shall I patch it through?"

"Y-yes, Lieutenant," Bill replied. "Thank you."

Immediately, Alexander's face appeared on the vid-screen. "I do appreciate you taking my call," he said.

"You've got a lot of guts, being a wanted man," Andrea said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Perhaps," Bourne replied, "but believe me, I'd never risk it if it wasn't an absolute emergency."

"And you expect us to help you?" Bill questioned with a shake of his head. "We don't negotiate with terrorists."

Bourne simply smiled. "I thought you might say that, but I think you'll change your mind in a moment because I have something that belongs to you."

Bill''s brow furrowed. "And that is?"

Bourne stepped aside, and there, lying on a dirty mattress, was Captain Bridger, his face pale and covered in lesions, and his shirt was stained brown in spots, possibly with blood or other bodily fluids.

"Oh, my God!" Andrea whispered.

Bill shook his head. "I...I don't believe it."

Just as Jonathan was about to say something, the door opened. He cringed, nearly forgetting that Ben had been asked to bring the doctor. He tried standing in front of the screen in order to shield the doctor's view until he had a chance to prepare her.

It was too late, however, as he watched her eyes grow wide and her hand rise to her mouth. "N-Nathan?" she choked out, her voice barely above a whisper.

Everyone turned to look at her as all color drained from her face and her eyes started to roll back into her head; Jonathan sensed what was about to happen but knew he couldn't get to her on time. "Ben, look out!" he called.

Ben obediently held out his arms and caught her just before she hit the floor.


	19. Justice Is Done

_**seaQuest** _

Andrea Dre watched helplessly as her perfect world came tumbling down around her. She'd been so worried about Dr. Westphalen opening her big mouth when it hadn't been her she needed to be concerned about after all. In one swift movement, however, Alexander Bourne had been the one to surprise her. She hadn't seen that one coming at all.

But why in the world was Bourne calling in the first place? He'd only said it was an emergency, and then the doctor had her fainting spell. Perhaps that was a godsend, though, since it bought her a little time to compose herself. As the others crowded around the younger woman to ensure she was all right, Andrea decided to use the time to think about how she could weasel herself out of a potentially sticky situation.

No, she couldn't be sure why he was calling yet, but she had her suspicions. They'd only just learned Project Kratos was much larger than any of them thought. What if Bourne himself knew about it? And if he did, how _much_ did he know? She immediately broke into a cold sweat with the realization that her fall from grace could be imminent.

_How could I have been so naive?_ she thought as she ran a shaky hand through her hair. _How could I have let everything slip through my fingers? How could I-_

_Are you crazy?_ another inner voice interrupted her train of thought. _Don't you dare back down so easily! You've never been a quitter._

Andrea couldn't argue with that.

_You have no idea why Bourne called, so don't start thinking everything is over yet. You can still go through with your plan. You just might have to make a few alterations, but you know what you have to do. Keep that poker face on and feign innocence whenever possible._

She smiled softly to herself. Of course. That's all she had to do; thank goodness she'd thought of it. It wasn't over just yet; she just had to play it cool. As Ben carried a limp doctor from the room, Bill and Jonathan rejoined her at the table.

"I'm terribly sorry about that," Bill said.

"It's all right; I can imagine it was a bit of a shock for her," Bourne replied. "I hope she isn't scarred too badly."

"As if you care," Andrea muttered flatly before Bill raised a halting hand.

"She'll be fine," Bill replied, turning back to the screen. "So I assume for you to give Bridger back safe and sound, you want something in return?"

"Indeed, but it's not quite as simple as it sounds. Since we're short on time, however, I'll make this as brief as possible. We need a doctor."

"And did Australia suddenly run out of them in the last few hours?" Andrea quipped with a light laugh, feeling more confident with each passing minute.

Unfazed, Bourne answered seriously, "No...and yes. There are a great deal of doctors, but the ones we need... We're a _special_ case, and those doctors have recently been extinguished. I'm sure you know what I mean, and if I knew where to find another on such short notice, I already would have."

Bill exchanged a confused glance with Andrea. "I'm afraid I don't know what you mean. You'll need to be a bit more specific."

Bourne rolled his eyes. "Are we really going to play this game? Does everyone in the UEO think-"

"He's telling the truth."

Nathan's quiet voice made everyone take pause, and Bourne turned around to look at him.

"If he knew anything about it, he would have told me; I know it," Nathan continued, his voice weak but insistent.

When Bourne turned back to face them, his facial features seemed to soften. "Very well. Then I regret to inform you that your precious UEO isn't as perfect as you'd hoped." He turned to eye Andrea, and her heart skipped a beat. "I'm going to assume you're as innocent as the admiral in the matter?"

"I'm not quite sure what the matter is, but I can assure you, I know nothing. I _can_ promise you, however, that I'll take proper measures to rectify whatever is going on. Justice _will_ be done."

"For once, I think we're on the same page," he said before taking a breath. "I'll catch you up to speed; it all started shortly after World War III..."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

The sharp bite of cool metal on her chest slowly pulled Kristin back to reality. She felt the pressure of an oxygen mask on her face and a warm hand over hers.

As her eyes fluttered open, she saw Joshua standing above her in the middle of an examination and surmised she'd been taken to medbay. She remembered seeing Nathan's face and then everything had gone dark. Had she really seen it, though? Or had she imagined it?

Dr. Levin smiled softly at her. "Glad to see you decided to join us again."

Ben squeezed her hand. "How do you feel?"

Joshua promptly removed the oxygen mask so she could answer. "I'm fine," she told them, pushing herself up on the cot. "Did I..." She shook her head. "Was I dreaming, or did I really see the captain alive?"

"You weren't dreaming," Ben said gently. "That's how you ended up here; you passed out, and it's no wonder. We're all in shock. Are you all right?"

She nodded. "Does anyone know what happened?"

"The admiral and the secretary general are still talking to Bourne at the moment. I'm sure we'll find out in due time, but for now, we need to finish taking a look at you," Joshua said, holding up a thermometer.

"But I already told you-" She was cut off by the Joshua sticking the thermometer under her tongue.

Joshua nodded. "But it's routine. You know that."

She suppressed a sigh, knowing she had little choice, and allowed him to do what he needed. As soon as he took the thermometer out of her mouth, however, she asked, "So what's the verdict?"

"I'd like you to lie back and rest for just a little while. Everything came back normal, but we just want to be sure. I just don't want to see a repeat episode."

"No, Joshua," she said, standing. "I'm fine, really. I'd rather just go see-" She was cut off when the admiral and secretary general walked in.

Bill placed an arm around her shoulders. "Sorry to rush in like this. First thing's first, are you feeling better?"

"I'm fine," she replied, eyeing Joshua. "My exam came back normal, didn't it?"

He frowned, but he nodded. "Yes, she's fine. And the captain? What's going on with all that?"

"Yes," Kristin agreed. "And can we speak with him?"

"That's actually why we're here," Bill replied. He turned to Kristin and ushered for her to sit back down. "I know you all are eager to find out what's happening, and we'll get to that. I promise." He then turned his attention back to Joshua. "But we're in desperate need of your services."

" _My_ services?" he repeated. "What exactly do you mean?"

Andrea frowned. "Perhaps we should take this to a more private area?" she suggested, nodding towards Ben and Kristin.

"Oh, please, Andrea; they're going to find out eventually. The crew understands the importance of discretion," Bill said. He then proceeded to explain the entire situation. "...and no, you're not _required_ to comply, Doctor Levin. It is a dangerous mission, and it's not exactly UEO-sanctioned. Since the brass doesn't even know. Until we sort out the mess of who the betrayers are and who aren't, we're not going to let them find out either." He sighed. "But we are asking you to consider it, for the captain's sake. Bourne did promise your safe return..."

Kristin, however, had already made up her mind. She stood and moved towards them. "I'll do it."

Everyone turned to her, mouths open in surprise. Andrea was the first to speak, however. "I don't think you're qualified-"

Bill held up a hand. "What Andrea means is that you've been through so much lately, and we thought it best that Joshua go instead. It's nothing personal; we just don't want you getting hurt in the process."

She shook her head. "But I'm fine, and I'm not about to-"

Ben gently took her by the arm and led her back to the cot, putting an arm around her shoulders. "Maybe they're right, Doc," he whispered.

"But I can do it," she said weakly. No one but Ben heard her, though.

"I know," he replied, "but you won't be any use to the captain if you're not feeling well yourself."

Feeling defeated, she didn't offer a response. Instead, she turned her attention to Joshua, who still hadn't given the admiral an answer.

"No," he finally said.

"Excuse me?" Bill said in shock. "The captain's life is on the line here... I'd really like to urge you to reconsider...please?"

"It...it's not that," he replied. "I'd really like to help, but I don't have the expertise. I've never done a thing with genetics. Besides, if you're really worried about Kristin's well-being, do you really think it's wise to send me off, leaving her to be the only capable doctor on board?" He shook his head. "Kristin's had more experience than I have...and she has something I don't: a security clearance that could come in handy." He locked eyes with her. "Truth told, I am very confident she can handle this."

Kristin offered him a smile, but Andrea shook her head, turning to the admiral.

"I don't think it's a good idea, Bill. Look at her; she still looks pale, and she just fainted."

Bill shook his head. "You just heard what the doctor said, didn't you?"

"But you said yourself you want to make sure she's all right," Andrea argued, motioning towards Kristin. "Well, sending her out into the danger zone isn't the way to go about that."

"How in world would you know what I can and can't handle, Madam Secretary?" Kristin stood, crossing her arms over her chest. "I promise you, I'm fine. Since the day we thought the captain was dead..." She paused, taking a breath. "Well, I learned there are plenty of things I wished I'd told him or I wished I'd done... I'm not about to make that mistake again. I am going to do this, one way or another."

"While that's very honorable of you, Doctor, you're forgetting one very important thing. I can easily have you fired."

"Then go ahead. I really don't care as long as-"

"Enough!" Bill yelled. He looked at Kristin and pointed towards the cot. "You, sit back down." He then turned to Andrea. "And you... Andrea, we don't have time to argue right now. Can you just let me handle this?"

Kristin did as she was told, but she couldn't help but glare daggers back at the secretary general, who, surprisingly, stepped aside, allowing the admiral to take the floor.

They all watched as Bill paced back and forth quietly for a few moments. "Now, if Doctor Levin says that she's perfectly well and much more qualified to handle this, then I see no reason why we should stop her. Besides, Nathan doesn't have a lot of time for us to be sitting around dawdling." He stopped and turned to Kristin. "And I, for one, don't want to lose you as the CMO here; not only that, if we don't let you go, I know you won't get a lick of sleep, and that's not going to help anyone."

A light blush rose in her cheeks.

"But there is one stipulation," he said.

She bit her bottom lip in worry. "And what's that?"

"When you bring the captain back home, you take a long, well-deserved rest."

She smiled. "That, I can do."

"Bourne is supposed to be calling back shortly; he'll be sending a launch, so I suggest you go pack. Ben will be happy to help you if you need," the admiral explained.

She nodded, but then a thought suddenly occurred to her. "What about the others? They don't know about the captain yet, do they?"

"We haven't exactly gotten the chance..." Bill said. "I suppose that's on the to-do list."

"Could I ask a favor then, please? I promise I'll pack as quickly as possible, but if you could hold off on telling the rest of the crew until I go... I'd like to tell Lucas personally, if that's all right?"

Bill nodded. "Of course. I think I'm going to have to choose my words carefully; I don't want the rest of the crew dropping like flies. Go and pack, and I'll stop by your room with the rest of the details shortly, okay?"

She and Ben quickly left the room. All she could think about was the fact she'd be seeing Nathan again in the next few hours, and she couldn't wait.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

"I'm going to guess you're not very happy with me?" Bill said as soon as he and Andrea were back in the ward room.

"I let you handle it, just as you so _graciously_ asked," she replied, not making any effort to mask her sarcasm. "So why would you possibly think that?"

He sighed. "Andrea, you're forgetting how well I know you. Look, I understand your reservations about all this, but when you think about it, did we really have a choice?"

She thought for a moment. She had to admit, he was right. Yes, she'd been so worried about Dr. Westphalen spoiling her delicate plan when Bourne had been the one to spill the beans. But why was she still so focused on taking Westphalen out? While it was apparent that Bourne didn't know exactly _who_ was involved with Project Kratos, neither did Westphalen...did she?

_You'd drilled it into her head she wasn't to say a thing about what she knew, so it's not as if you'd know,_ that voice in her head reminded her.

"I suppose not," she replied. "I still am not so sure about the doctor going with Bourne alone and unprotected, but that's her choice. She can obviously handle herself, and of course, the point of all this is to get Bridger back safe and sound."

"Exactly." At that moment, the intercom buzzed. "Oh, and I'm sure that's Bourne now. Do you want to do the honors, or shall I?"

"You go right ahead," she replied, taking a seat. "I'll just be here for moral support, if you need."

While Bill spoke with Lieutenant O'Neill and then Bourne himself, Andrea was lost in her own thoughts. Apparently, she needed to take Westphalen out of her equation, at least for the time being. But she was suddenly unsure of how to proceed, a feeling she wasn't very accustomed to. Where should she go from here?

_Are you still pondering this? Really, Andrea, I'm surprised at you,_ she thought miserably. _You do remember what Bourne said: that the UEO is full of betrayers?_

Of course; how could she forget? She suddenly saw a light at the end of the tunnel, realizing that the fact she knew every name and face could be her advantage.

_Now, you're on the right track._

A wicked smile graced her face as an idea popped into her head. Oh, it was diabolical, she knew, but the only thing she cared about right now was not incriminating herself. As for the others, well, their mistake was trusting her...and they did choose to turn to the dark side in the first place. They deserved to pay for their sins, and she'd play the executioner. She did make a promise to Bourne that justice would be done. Now, what sort of leader would she be if she didn't follow through on that?

It was just a question of which ones would have to go. She brought a finger to her chin. All they really needed were a few individuals to take the blame for the whole thing. What was that saying about last hired, first fired? Well, perhaps not exactly the same situation, but she knew the newcomers would be the ones who'd have to pay dearly...and they were the easiest to sacrifice.

She found herself sighing happily now that she had a more stable plan once again and turned her attention back to the admiral, who was just wrapping up his conversation with Bourne.

"And your current location is the North Pacific, yes?" Bourne asked.

Bill nodded. "Just off the Northwestern Coast of the United States at the moment. We're on patrol, so we're not moving very fast."

"Then just tell the doctor we expect to arrive around sixteen hundred hours, give or take," Bourne said.

"Will do," Bill replied before turning to Andrea. "Is there anything else you have to add?"

She sat up a bit straighter. "I just want to assure you that I intend to extinguish the corruption as soon as possible, Alexander."

Bourne looked surprised, considering it was the first time she'd ever called him by his first name. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, however. "I appreciate you saying that. You have no idea what it's like to have someone finally believe us that something in the UEO is definitely wrong. I'm only sorry it took so long to get our message across."

She nodded. "When all is said and done, Mr. Bourne, I'd like to make a deal with you. While I'm sure you understand why the UEO wants to bring you and your group to justice, I think we could work on a lighter sentence, considering."

A brow rose. "We'll discuss it at a later date then."

She smiled. "It's a date."

After Bourne said his goodbyes, Bill turned to her. "Where is the real Andrea, and what have you done with her?"

She laughed softly. "Whatever do you mean?"

"You're making deals with Bourne now?"

"You did that first," she pointed out.

"Because he has my oldest friend who we all thought was dead, and if we want him back safe and sound, we don't have a choice. But I wasn't intending to go easy on him after the fact."

"Maybe I just have a better understanding of him now. Certainly, you can agree he isn't all bad. He was driven to it by a few certain corrupt individuals."

"Yes, but we've _all_ suffered for it." He paused, giving a shake of his head. "You know I trust you, but I just want you to be sure you know what you're doing. Don't let your guard down just because you feel guilty. It's not your fault you didn't know about the corruption until now. You know that, don't you?"

She smiled. "Of course I do. That's why I'm taking the first launch back to Pearl."

His eyebrows knitted together. "But I thought you wanted to make sure things were running smoothly here?"

"I think you're doing just fine, and it's clear my efforts are needed elsewhere. I'm going to go pack; can you speak to Chief Crocker about securing a launch?"

"Of course, Andrea. Do let me know when you're about to go so we can say proper goodbyes," he told her.

"Indeed," she replied. "I wouldn't miss it." She then quickly left the room, eager to start burning bridges.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Kristin stuffed things inside a bag, not really paying much attention to what she was actually packing. She just wanted to get it done. She finally realized Ben was still there, and she looked up. "I know the admiral said I should let you help, but I really don't need it."

He gave her a slight grin. "You sure about that?"

She laughed softly. "I think I can handle putting some clothes inside a bag."

His grin widened as he walked towards her bunk and reached inside the bag. "And you really _need_ all these socks? I mean, I like clean socks as much as the next person...but I do think that's going a little overboard."

She glanced inside the bag to see at least twenty pairs of socks and nothing more. "I guess I am a little distracted," she replied, blushing hotly and removing several pairs of socks.

"You think?" He sighed. "I know you're eager to get out of here and see the captain, but I think you need to stop and take a breath." He motioned for her to sit and walked to the desk, picking up a pen and a pad of paper. "Why don't you write down what you need, and I'll help you pack?"

She took the pen and paper from him and began writing. "It's not that I'm eager to get out of here," she finally said. "It's just...with everything..."

He gave her a reassuring smile. "I know, Doc. And I guess I should be glad you're more focused on seeing him rather than worrying about whatever is going on with him physically."

"It's more like I'm in denial," she admitted. "I haven't really let it sink in what I'm up against yet." She let out a sigh. "Though I suppose I should be worrying about it, shouldn't I? I'm not exactly a miracle worker. When we think about it, I've only had a small crash course in the matter. That's not really a confidence builder."

Ben moved to sit next to her and put his hand over hers. "Don't start thinking like that; that's not going to help anyone. You're a great doctor, and I'm sure when you get there, you're going to be able to fix this mess...somehow. Don't sell yourself short. You're going to bring the captain home safe and sound. Everything's going to be fine, Doc; you'll see."

"I'm glad someone has some confidence in me," she said with a weak smile.

"You should, too," he replied. "You're going to be fine; otherwise the admiral wouldn't have agreed to let you go."

"He didn't have much of a choice, and you know it."

"Maybe, but if he really thought you going there would be a waste of time, do you think he'd allow it?"

"I suppose not. Maybe I am worrying for nothing."

"I'm sure of it," Ben replied, motioning to the list she wrote. "Maybe we should split that in half and get you all packed, okay?"

"Good idea." She tore the list in half and sent Ben towards her closet while she handled the more personal items. No, she still wasn't feeling terribly confident about the whole situation, but she tried to focus on the positives. Really, she wouldn't know what exactly she was facing until she got there and started to run tests, so there wasn't much point in worrying whether she had the skills to handle it or not. She decided to push her fears to the back of her mind and just try to focus on packing, walking into the bathroom.

As she was gathering toiletries into her arms, there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it," Ben called as she heard him open the door. "Hello again, Admiral."

Kristin walked out of the bathroom and placed the toiletries in her bag as the admiral approached her. "Glad to see you being so positive about all this."

She couldn't help but laugh. "Maybe on the outside, but inside, I'm a bit of a wreck."

"You're going to be just fine," he said, putting an arm around her shoulders.

"That's what I told her," Ben pointed out.

"The good news is you have until around sixteen hundred hours before the launch arrives, so you have time to prepare." He paused. "Have you spoken to Lucas yet?"

"That's next on my list, actually," she replied. "I just want to get this handled first."

He nodded. "Just remember to take a rest once in a while. I mean it when I say I want to make sure you're going to be okay through all this."

She waved a hand. "I'm fine; I promise. I'm not even worried about that."

"Well, _I_ am...and if anything happens to you, Nathan and the secretary general will wring my neck."

Her brow furrowed in worry. "I suppose the secretary general gave you an earful for all this?"

"Actually, no; she's just worried about your well-being, but she's getting ready to go back to Pearl as we speak. She's more focused on handling the problems there, so you're in the clear."

She breathed a sigh of relief. At least that was one less thing on her mind.

"Well, I'll let you finish packing. I just promised I'd let you know details."

"Thank you, Admiral," she said as he left the room before turning to Ben.

"If even the secretary general has faith in your abilities, you should, too," he said.

"I suppose so," she replied, moving to finish her list.

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Half an hour later, Kristin zipped her bag up. "I think we are finally finished. Thank you so much for all your help."

"Anytime." He nodded his head towards the door. "If you need help with Lucas..."

She shook her head. "You know I appreciate it, but I think I can do this on my own."

"Sure thing," he replied. "Well, I suppose I should find something productive to do."

"Why change your MO now?" she teased, moving to give him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you for everything."

"We'll hold down the fort while you're gone," he told her, giving her a hug. "You take care of the captain now."

"You know I will," she replied as they walked out of the room. She gave him one final wave as she headed towards Lucas' room.

Taking a deep breath, she knocked gently before she heard Lucas call, "It's open."

As she opened the door, Lucas turned off his computer screen. "I was resting, I swear it." When he turned to face her, however, he smiled. "I was worried you might be the secretary general."

"Ah, well, I don't think she's so worried about us anymore."

"What do you mean?"

She hesitated, running a hand through her hair. "Um, Lucas...we need to talk."

He frowned. "The last time you said something like that, it was bad news." He shook his head. "I...I'm not sure I can handle any more bad news, Doc."

She moved to sit next to him, putting her arm around his shoulders. "It isn't as bad as it sounds. Some of it is actually very good news. There's just no easy way to say it...and it's going to come as a bit of a shock."

He lowered his gaze, taking a few deep breaths. "All right; just say it. I'm ready," he said with a nod.

"It turns out that the captain is alive."

His blue eyes widened as he stared at her. "What? How?"

"It's a rather long story, but I suppose you might say Alexander Bourne kidnapped him."

Lucas stood, moving towards the door. "Well, we have to get him back. Where's the admiral? I can't believe it! I-"

"Lucas, calm down," she said gently. "We are going to get him back, but...there's a bit of a problem. The captain is very sick and needs a doctor." She paused. "As I'd said, it's a rather long story, and the admiral will explain everything in full detail a bit later, but... Lucas, I'm going to Australia."

"You...you're leaving me?"

Her heart sank. His voice sounded so frightened and small. "It...it's only for a little while, and I promise you, I will bring him back safe and sound."

She watched as he just stared at the floor for several long moments before approaching him. "Lucas?"

"It's not that I don't trust you," he finally said, "but...what if something happens? I don't want to lose the both of you."

"Oh, Lucas," she said, pulling him into a tight hug. "I know neither of us can possibly predict the future, but I am going to do everything in my power to make sure that doesn't happen. You...you're just going to have to have a little faith. We'll be back as soon as we can...and I'll try to call you when I can."

He sighed, his brow creased with worry, but he nodded. "All right. Just...just be careful."

"Of course, Lucas. I love you."

"Love you, too, Doc. See you soon."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

Hours later, Kristin was in medbay with Chief Crocker and Admiral Noyce. She turned and hugged them both.

"You take care now, Doc," Chief Crocker told her.

"Of course," she replied before turning to the admiral. "I guess this is it," told him.

"Only for a little while," he told her. "You call us as soon as you can."

She nodded, picked up her bag, and entered the launch where she was met by Alexander Bourne. "Hello," she said, trying to sound somewhat cheerful.

He nodded and pointed towards the back of the launch. "Go get yourself settled. We don't have much time."

She did as she was told, seeing another young man sitting there. She bit her lip, trying to remember what his name was when Bourne called his name.

"Freeman, we need you up here!"

He gave her a quick nod before leaving the room.

"Nice to meet you too," she muttered, taking her seat and strapping herself in. This wasn't the first time she'd been in the company of dangerous men before: Rubin Zellar and Milos Teslov, to name a couple. It wasn't her first rodeo, but she couldn't help but feel a shiver run down her spine. Just what had she gotten herself into?


	20. Seeking No Truth

**Australia**

The next thing she knew, Kristin felt a hand shaking her shoulder. "Hey, Doctor Westpherlin, wake up."

Startled, her eyes popped wide open, staring into the face of Mr. Freeman, as Bourne had called him. "It's Westphalen," she muttered sleepily, trying to fix her mussed hair with her hands.

He nodded apologetically. "We're nearly there; Alexander sent me to inform you. We'll be docking in about five minutes, give or take."

"Thank you," she replied as he left to go back to the front of the launch. She rubbed her eyes, somewhat surprised she was able to even sleep...but then again, her body must have needed the rest. As she composed herself, Mr. Freeman's words began to sink in: they'd be docking in about five minutes. Her stomach flipped and twisted in both anticipation and anxiety.

She wrapped her arms around her midsection, mentally willing her unruly tummy to settle itself. _We don't have time for this,_ she thought. _No matter how frightened you are, you need to remain calm. Nathan is the one who's suffering, not you._

She took several deep breaths, and her stomach finally settled down enough to a tolerable, nagging pain, which was nothing she couldn't handle. As she felt the unmistakable sound of the launch docking, she swallowed hard. _You can do this,_ she reminded herself.

As she was unbuckling, she heard footsteps coming towards her and looked up to see Alexander. He was wearing an odd sort of smile. It wasn't exactly pleasant, but it wasn't menacing either. She guessed he was trying to put her at ease, and she wasn't about to let him know he was failing at it. "Mason will get your bags," he told her. "Did you have a pleasant rest?"

She nodded, blushing slightly. "I hadn't intended to sleep the entire time."

"On the contrary, I'm glad you did. First, it shows that you feel comfortable enough with us to do so. I know my reputation precedes me, but it's not my intention to intimidate you. My conflict is with the UEO, and since you're a civilian, you are exempt from my wrath." He laughed heartily for a few seconds. "Just a little joke there. Follow me, please."

She stood on wobbly legs, willing her knees to stop quaking as she moved. She wasn't sure what to expect when they stepped out into the dusky sunlight. She glanced around, noticing a mud-colored brick building with barbed wire around the top of it in the distance. _That doesn't look menacing at all,_ was her first thought.

As if Bourne could read her thoughts, he turned to her. "It's an old abandoned prison," he explained. "It's secluded enough that no one pays us much mind. Believe me, the inside is nicer than it seems."

She simply nodded as she continued to follow him up a long, cement walkway that was in desperate need of repair. Weeds grew from its many cracks as several unstable rocks lined the ground; she certainly hoped he was right about the inside.

"Watch your step," was all Bourne said as she tried not to trip. Freeman followed close behind, her bags in his hand.

Unscathed, they finally made it to a large grey door, its appearance just as battered as the rest of the place: several chips in the paint revealed dark brown metal underneath, and the door was littered with dents. Kristin paused, wondering the many different ways those dents could have gotten there when Bourne stepped in front of her and pulled on the handle, motioning for her to step inside first. "After you, dear."

She hesitated for a brief second before doing so, her eyes stinging slightly at the sudden change in light...or rather, lack thereof, as she found herself in a very dimly lit corridor. Placing a hand on the dark green painted cement wall, she tried to catch her bearings when she heard the door behind her slam, causing her to jump and let out a soft cry.

"Sorry about that," Bourne said, appearing alongside of her. "I don't normally use this entrance, so I forgot how unruly that door can be." He paused for a moment and eyed her carefully. "I'm going to assume you'd like to get right down to business, but if you'd like to freshen up, we can arrange it."

"No, thank you. I...I'd like to see Captain Bridger first, if I may."

Bourne gave her that same odd smile he'd given her before. "Of course." He turned around to Freeman. "Just put her bags in my office for the time being."

The younger man gave a nod, quickly turned, and disappeared through a nearby entrance, and she and Bourne continued down the long corridor until they reached a darkened stairwell.

Flipping a light switch on the wall, Bourne frowned slightly. "You'll have to forgive the electrical system," he told her, the yellow bulb not providing much extra light as they descended the stairs. "Watch your step now."

The lack of light was the least of her worries, though; even though the building must have been fairly old, it was kept up well; so indeed, Bourne had been right about the interior. Despite some chipped paint here and there, it seemed sturdy enough. However, when they reached the bottom of the stairs, she couldn't help but gasp.

Reminding her of a dungeon, it was dark, musty, and cold. Despite the fact she wore a thick cardigan over her T-shirt, she felt a cold draft cause goosebumps to dot her skin, and she hugged herself to keep warm.

The cement landing ended rather quickly and led them into an area filled with prison cells; the floor, however, was dirt. If it were possible, it was even darker than the rest of the building, and Kristin had to stop for a moment to allow her eyes to adjust.

Several feet in front of her, Bourne stopped and turned back to her, motioning towards a cell in front of him. "It's right here whenever you're ready."

She nodded and swallowed hard, slowly putting one foot in front of the other. After what seemed like a small eternity, she found herself staring into a dark, dirty cell, seeing Nathan lying on a stained mattress. His eyes were closed, so he didn't see her right away; beside him, a young man, one of Bourne's team members whose name she couldn't recall at the moment, sat on a wooden stool.

As soon as the young man saw them, however, he stood and nodded towards Nathan. "I've been giving him his pills like clockwork. Hasn't missed one yet." He looked at his watch. "He'll need his next pill in about half an hour. Been asleep for about twenty minutes or so. Other than that, no change."

"Thank you, Larry," Bourne replied, nodding towards Kristin. "This is Dr. Kristin Westphalen; Dr. Westphalen, Larry Deon."

Larry opened the cell door, which apparently wasn't locked and held out his hand in greeting. "Glad to finally have someone here who's going to help us," he told her.

"I am going to try," she said sincerely, but her attention quickly turned to Nathan.

The men continued to talk in low tones while she crouched down by Nathan's side. She gingerly placed a hand on his perspiration-dotted forehead. Upon closer inspection, she could see that his lesion-laced skin was as dirty as the floor. She frowned when she felt the heat emanating from his head; he had a fever of at least 102, give or take a tenth of a degree, she guessed. Glancing around at the deplorable conditions, she shook her head. No way did Bourne except her to work like this...did he?

"Well, I suppose I should leave you to do what you need," she heard Larry say as she moved back towards them.

"Just a moment," she said, turning to Alexander. "We need to move him."

A brow rose. "Excuse me?"

"If I'm going to help him...and you, I'm going to need some decent light, and the dirt isn't helping the cuts on his face." She shook her head. "And it's absolutely _freezing_ down here."

"Were you expecting the Ritz Carlton?" Bourne quipped.

She simply crossed her arms and gave him a glare. "If you get Mr. Freeman back down here, he and Mr. Deon should be able to carry the captain to a more suitable room. You do have one, don't you?"

For a moment, she was worried Alexander was going to shout at her, given the way he gritted his teeth. Instead, however, he turned to Larry. "You heard her. Go find Mason...and be quick about it."

She couldn't help but smile as she said, "Thank you, Mr. Bourne."

"Just don't make me regret my kindness," came his quiet reply. "Because if I _do_ , I won't have any mercy on you."

__-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_ _

Nathan groaned as he felt his arms and legs being pulled. Why couldn't they just let him sleep? It couldn't be pill time already, could it? He scarcely opened one eye and noticed he was being carried, the unexpected motion causing him to feel dangerously close to vomiting. He held up a hand. "I...I think I'm about to be sick," he muttered, not even sure whom he was speaking to.

"Hold up," he heard Larry say as Nathan felt himself being lowered back onto the cold dirt floor.

"I guess you don't need me anymore," Mason said. "Now that he's awake, there's no reason he can't walk."

"Hey, wait a minute. I still need you. Bourne said-"

"It's fine, really," Nathan said, his stomach finally settling down enough to where he could speak. He paused, realizing he had no idea where they were going. "Where am I walking to exactly?"

"Upstairs," Larry told him. "Doctor's orders."

 _Doctor?_ Nathan's stomach lurched again out of guilt. He hated having to ask any of his friends to come to this wretched place, and he instinctively brought his hands to his to his stomach. He wondered if it was Kristin or Joshua, but outside of Mason, Larry, and himself, there was no one else in the cell.

"See; you'll be fine then," Mason said. "I'm outta here." And without another word, he left them alone.

Larry sighed and knelt down next to Nathan. "You sure you're going to be all right? You don't look so good."

"Just tired," he muttered. "Have you met the doctor yourself yet?"

"Oh, yeah; I wasn't so sure about a lady being here, but you should have seen her. Gave Bourne quite a talking to about you being down here. Said she wasn't going to have it and insisted you be brought upstairs right away. And Bourne _listened_ ; mind you, I don't think he was particularly pleased, but at least he did what she asked."

 _She? Kristin..._ About a million and one thoughts ran through Nathan's head upon learning it was she, but his pounding head prevented most of them from being coherent. He was just relieved to hear she wasn't allowing herself to be pushed around. "She's tougher than she looks."

Larry nodded. "I don't really care as long as she can help us." He paused. "You ready to go upstairs?"

"Not really, but we might as well get a move on. I've a feeling it'll take a while."

"We'll take it as slow as you need," the younger man replied, putting his arm around Nathan's torso and helping him up. "Just let me know if you need to stop."

__-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_ _

Nathan was relieved when they finally made it. Though he did stop a few times, he pushed through because he just wanted to lie down. When Larry opened a wooden door and helped him to the bed, he felt like he was in Heaven, especially when he felt how warm the room was. He heard soft crackling and glanced to the corner of the room: a fireplace. He wasn't sure if it was Kristin's doing or not, but he was grateful to have heat. Looking around the room, he didn't see anyone else, though.

"I think she's gathering up her things," Larry said. "I guess I should see if she needs help. I'll be right back."

Nathan lay back, closing his eyes. He was exhausted, but he didn't want to risk falling asleep just yet. Thankfully, he didn't have to fight the feeling much longer, since he heard the door open again. Kristin and Larry entered, bags in hand.

"You can just set that over there, thank you," Kristin said.

"Do you need anything else?" Larry asked.

"I think we're okay," she replied, glancing briefly toward the bed. "Thank you again for your help."

"Anytime. Uh, just don't forget his pill. Ten minutes now."

She nodded. "I won't."

"See you later, Nathan," he called as he left the room.

Kristin sighed heavily, wringing her hands together as she slowly turned to face him.

"I'm glad you're here," he said softly.

She nodded, bringing a hand to cover her mouth in an attempt to stifle the sobs that were threatening to escape. She quickly turned around and muttered an apology, her shoulders shaking gently.

Nathan waited patiently for her, and after several minutes, she seemed to calm down.

"Sorry," she muttered, clearing her throat with her back still turned from him. "Um, well, I suppose we should start by cleaning those wounds of yours."

"Kris...?"

She rifled through one of her bags. "But first, your pill."

"Kris?" he said again, this time a bit louder, hoping she'd look at him.

However, she kept her back turned, still searching her bag, though he suspected she was purposely taking longer. "Yes?"

"It's just that I thought we'd talk a bit more..."

She finally turned, a bottle of antiseptic in one hand and a white cloth in the other. "We don't have a lot of time."

Nathan couldn't help but notice how her gaze seemed to focus on the wall just above him rather than his face. His brow furrowed. Was she angry at him? "I've waited this long, so I think I can wait just a little while longer." He patted an open spot on the bed. "Why don't you come sit down for a few minutes?"

She nervously chewed on her bottom lip and shook her head as she lowered her gaze.

"What's the matter? Are you upset with me?"

Her eyes snapped back to him, widening slightly. "N-no, of course not. How...how could you think that? I could never... I know none of this is your fault." She took a shaky breath, glancing at the clock again. "You really need to have your pill," she said, walking to the small sink in the corner of the room and filling up a paper cup. She then approached him carefully.

Nathan obediently took the pill and washed it down with a bit of water. "Now why don't you sit down?"

Again, she shook her head. "Your face..."

He held his arms open. "Kris, please? It's been so long, and I've missed you. Come say hello properly."

"I...I've missed you, too," she replied, her voice trembling, "more than you know, actually."

"Come here, then."

"I...I really shouldn't..." She turned her head away. "I don't think Mr. Bourne would like it if..."

A brow rose. "Is that what you're worried about? Did...did he hurt you?"

"N-no, nothing like that." She moved back to the table to retrieve her cloth and antiseptic. "I just think we should get down to business."

He was getting tired of talking to her back, though. Something was wrong. Sure, he'd been away for a little while, but that didn't explain why she was acting so strangely. "Kris, please? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," came her shaky reply. "I...I'm fine."

"Then why won't you look at me? Are...are you ashamed of me?"

"No. Nathan, I could never..." She finally turned to him, her eyes full of tears. "I just didn't think... I'd wanted to keep my emotions in check, but I'm failing miserably."

"Oh, Kris," he said, holding his arms open again. "Come here, please."

This time, she didn't resist, apparently needing the physical contact as much as he did. She wrapped her arms around him and softly cried into his shoulder.

He whispered to her in soft tones. "Shh, it's all right. Please, don't be upset. We...we're together now. Everything's going to be fine."

She nodded and muttered something he couldn't quite understand.

He just continued to hold her, something he'd longed to do since he'd wound up in this godforsaken place. When her cries seemed to quiet, he said, "And just so we're clear, you never have to pretend to be strong for me. I'm not sure why you thought you had to in the first place." He gently urged her to sit upright so he could look at her, wiping the stray tears from her cheeks with his hand. "Okay?"

She gave him a grateful nod. "I am sorry. It's just I didn't feel right."

"What do you mean? It's just me; I haven't changed." He paused. "Well, all right, I _have_ changed, but I'm still the same inside."

She smiled softly, but it faded as quickly as it came. "I mean you've been suffering all this time; it was selfish of me to..." Her voice trailed off as her voice became thick with emotion once again, and she lowered her gaze. "I've missed you so much, but I thought that conversation could wait..."

He brought a hand to her cheek, prompting her to look at him once again. "We _will_ talk about that later," he confirmed, "but I can't imagine it was exactly rainbows and sunshine on your end either. You have every right... As I said, you never have to pretend around me. I hope you never will again."

She nodded, leaning her head against his shoulder again. "I promise. Much as I'd like to stay like this, though, I have work to do." She sat up and motioned to the bottle and cloth. "First, we clean those wounds. Then, it's blood work."

He frowned. "You know I hate needles."

"I'll try to make it as painless as possible. There's just no other way."

"I know," he muttered. "What's after that?"

"I don't know. A nap, perhaps."

His brow furrowed. "What?"

"I mean for you. I can't imagine you've gotten much rest through this ordeal. You look like you could use it," she pointed out.

"If you don't mind me saying so, so do you."

She blushed slightly. "Well, I admit, I'll be sleeping much better now that we've found you. But there's no rest for the weary...at least not until I figure out what to do for you and your new friends. Besides, I had a nap on the way here, actually."

"I'm glad to hear that, though I do hope you'll rest when you feel you need it." He then thought for a moment as a brow rose in question. "Do you even _know_ what to do?" He held up a hand. "Don't get me wrong. Not that I don't think you're a good doctor. I just didn't think this was your area of expertise."

"I've learned a lot while you were away." She frowned. "Though some of it, I wish I could forget..."

"What do you mean?"

She shrugged. " _That's_ another conversation for later, but I learned enough about genetics in recent times that made me more qualified than Joshua." She gave him a cheerful smile, but he could tell it was forced. "So I was the lucky winner, you see."

"As much as I wanted to see you, I was hoping you wouldn't have to... I know this isn't the nicest place."

She waved a hand. "I'm glad I'm here. I actually insisted. I wasn't taking no for an answer."

He couldn't help but laugh. "That sounds more like the Kristin I know."

"Oh, I'm still that girl," she promised. "And please don't think I don't know anything about your problem. It's just going to take a lot of ingenuity to come up with a solution."

He took her hand and gave it a squeeze. "I'm sure you'll think of something."

"I certainly hope so. There are a lot of people depending on me...and I promised the rest of the crew I'd bring you back in one piece."

"You know they'll understand if-"

She placed a quieting finger to his lips. "We're not going to think like that. Besides, you just let _me_ worry about all this and just concentrate on getting better. Doctor's orders." She stood to retrieve the bottle and cloth and turned back to him. "This...this might sting a little."

He nodded and allowed her to gingerly dab at his wounds. His face felt tender, but it was nothing he couldn't handle. As she moved to apply more solution to the cloth, he noticed her hands trembling. "You're afraid?"

"I told you to let me do the worrying," she chided gently, continuing to clean his wounds.

"I will _always_ worry about you," he replied, placing a hand on her arm. "I promise I'll be quiet after this, but I just wanted to let you know that I have complete confidence in you. I know you're going to, but try not to worry."

She stared at him in surprise for several moments, her eyes becoming glassy once again. "Thank you," she said quietly. "That...that means a lot coming from you, and...and I will try. Now...try to rest, hm?"

He closed his eyes and allowed her to continue. He knew he wasn't out of the woods yet, but he really did believe she would make everything better somehow.

__-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_ _

**Pearl Harbor**

Due to time differences, it was the middle of the night when Andrea arrived back home. Unfortunately, sleep didn't come very easy, her mind imagining the various outcomes. She was relieved when the sun began to shine through the slats of the blinds and immediately pushed herself out of bed, eager to get the show on the road.

The moment she pulled her car up to UEO Headquarters, though, she had to stop herself from running to the door.

 _Act natural, remember?_ that little voice in her head said. _You don't want to draw too much attention to yourself...not yet, anyway._

Andrea glanced around. Though the parking lot was still fairly empty, considering it was still early, there were a couple of officers walking towards the door. She doubted they paid her much mind, but she did take a deep, calming breath for good measure. Best not to let the whole world know how excited she was at the moment. Besides, she wanted her new plan to be a surprise. There was only one person she wanted to talk to it about for the time being because she'd need his help.

She couldn't help but smile at the thought, though. Oh, she gave Frank a terrible time, but he was such a good little lapdog, she had to admit. It was by chance they'd found out they had the same views on many things when they happened to be put on a random mission together twenty years prior. She decided it must have been fate, because they really were a match made in Heaven. He was always so eager and willing to please her, and she delighted in keeping him on a short leash. It was only too bad she wasn't his type romantically; they might have had some excellent chemistry in that department as well.

She glanced around the parking lot and frowned, noticing his car wasn't there yet. Sighing, she started towards the door, deciding she'd just have to wait...though she hoped he'd get there soon or she might burst.

_It's not the end of the world. You can just hammer out the details while you're waiting._

She nodded, as if confirming it to herself, making a point to walk past Frank's office, just in case she'd missed his car. However, the lights were out and the door locked. She quickly searched through her briefcase and found a pack of sticky notes. She scribbled a message for him to come find her as soon as he got in and stuck it on the door's window. _That should do it,_ she thought with a nod. She then went to her own office and closed the door behind her.

Listening to her inner voice, she took out a piece of paper and began writing notes about what she hoped to happen. It hadn't actually occurred to her to do so, but it did help organize her ideas. Still, she didn't want to risk putting it on an electronic device in case, by some horrible chance, the trail ever led back to her. And as soon as she was finished, she planned on ripping her notes up into tiny pieces and then burning them. Even though she was just a few feet from the finish line, she still had to take care in order to cover her tracks.

Just as she finished her set of notes, she heard a knock on her door. She quickly slipped the paper into a desk drawer and said, "It's open."

"You wanted to see me?"

"Oh, it's you," she said, relieved, though she realized she didn't sound very enthusiastic upon seeing him. "I mean, yes; have a seat." She paused, glancing towards the door. "No one else saw you come here, did they?"

A brow rose. "I think the janitor was in the hallway. Why?"

She walked to the door and locked it, just in case. "What I'm about to tell you doesn't leave this room, understand?"

"Of...of course," he replied. "But I must admit, you're making me nervous."

She smiled, since she quite enjoyed seeing him sweat. "As you should be."

Frank held up his hands. "I...I swear I didn't do anything. I'm not sure what you've heard, but-"

"Cool it," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It's not you this time, but we're not out of the woods yet."

"What...what do you mean?" he asked, loosening his tie.

She sat across from him, folding her hands on the desk. "There's really no easy way to say this, but long story short, Nathan Bridger is very much alive, and so is Alexander Bourne and company."

"W-what? Does the rest of the brass know?"

"Not yet, and we're going to keep it that way for a little while. But that's exactly why I wanted to talk with you; all this time, we've been worried about Dr. Westphalen spilling the beans when Bourne did it in a split second. Noyce knows about the program."

He ran a hand across his balding head. "Oh...oh, dear. This is bad. This...this is very, very bad." He stood and began pacing. "What...what did he say?"

"First of all, you need to calm down." She motioned for him to sit again, and when he obliged, she continued, "Yes, Alexander Bourne and his friends were test subjects at one of our facilities, but he doesn't know _who_ is behind it all. I guess that's the one thing that was done correctly, the fact that everyone involved was kept out of the loop just enough, even you and me. We didn't even know how big this thing was until the other day."

"What...what about the purple pills? I thought they were sent to all test subjects?"

"Apparently, the idea wasn't as foolproof as we'd hoped," she replied. "When things get messy, mistakes are bound to be made. And while I thought we were on the brink of digging our own graves, I realized it doesn't have to be that way _if_ we play our cards right."

"W-we?"

She nodded. "Oh, I know I give you a hard time, Frankie, but the truth is I can't let you get in trouble for any of this either. The truth is I'd be lost without you." She gave him a smile. "So thanks to the acting skills of yours truly, Billy is just as clueless as he's always been. He's going to be on the _seaQuest_ for a while yet, I think...at least until Bridger returns, and who knows when that will be? Anyway, I promised I'd get to the bottom of all this and ensure the baddies are brought to justice."

His mouth fell open slightly, giving a shake of his head. "What do you mean?"

"Frank, I love you, but sometimes, you are really dense," she said, rolling her eyes. "Don't you see what we have to do? We're going to have to sacrifice a few for the greater good, and I figure who better than our newcomers?" She gave him an amused wink. "Once the others find out, I'm sure they'll fall in love with the plan. You do love it, don't you?"

"Of course," he replied. "And it will give the ones who know nothing about Project Kratos a false sense of security."

"Bingo!" she replied. "Granted, we don't know how many test subjects are left now, but Dr. Downs did ensure that number would be greatly reduced. I'm thinking once justice is done, we shouldn't have anything to worry about."

"What about Dr. Westphalen, though? You know she saw a few things at the lab."

She waved a hand. "I think I made it perfectly clear she's not supposed to repeat what she does know. Besides, she's too distraught over that whole lab fiasco as it is. She'll be out of our hair for a while anyway; she's in Australia as we speak trying to come up with a miracle cure."

"She _what_?" He shook his head. "Do you really think we should just leave that to chance?"

"We're not leaving anything to chance, Frank. Once the gene alterations have begun, there's no cure; you know that. She'll never come up with anything, nor will she ever know how it all started. By the time she gets back to _seaQuest_ , defeated, her security clearance will have run out. Not only that, she'll probably be too upset over the whole situation that she'll probably resign. It'll be a shame to lose her, but I figure it's a small price to pay, don't you think? Then Billy will be busy looking for a new CMO, which again, will take the focus off us. The rest of the brass will write this off as an unfortunate accident and we can move on. Piece of cake, hm?"

He pondered this for several moments before nodding. "I suppose you're right."

"You should know I'm always right."

"So where do we go from here?" he asked.

"Find Dr. Downs and Agents Reid and Collins. Tell them we need to see them right away, and I'll handle the rest."

He nodded, moving to stand.

"And, Frank? Remember, not a word of this to anyone...or I'll have to take you down with them, and you know I'd hate to do that."

"Of course, Andrea," he said, now a determined man on a mission.


	21. Winning Is All

**Australia**

A peculiar feeling washed over Nathan as his eyes fluttered open. For the first time in a long while, he felt well-rested. His eyebrows knitted together in confusion, wondering how he could feel this way as brief glimpses of the past several hours washed over him. He barely remembered Kristin taking blood from him, but as he moved to scratch his upper arm, the bandage there reminded him it had happened.

 _Kristin..._ Whether she knew it or not, she'd been an angel. She'd gently woke him every hour for his pill. Granted, Nathan was used to this by now, but there was some very different when she did it. The only thing he could think of was that her bedside manner helped him to go right back to sleep immediately. Whatever it was, just her being with him had made a world of difference, apparently.

He carefully sat up and glanced around the room, noticing that the doctor had quickly transformed half of it into a makeshift lab for herself. The woman in question sat huddled over a microscope placed on a coffee table, stopping every so often to write down a note or two and mutter to herself. His brow furrowed, wondering how long she'd been at it, since he couldn't tell how long he'd been asleep.

He glanced toward the clock and decided it couldn't be right. Had he really been asleep for nearly six hours? He grabbed the pill packet on the bedside table and counted; he instantly felt a bit guilty when he confirmed it was indeed true.

"That doesn't make sense!"

Kristin's quiet exclamation brought his attention back to her. She still hadn't noticed that he'd awoken, and he hoped she hadn't been working non-stop the entire time. He watched as she ran a hand through her hair, muttering something about blood samples and chromosomes. She then sighed and shook her head, picking up a new vial of blood. He shuddered when he noticed her abundance of blood samples. Twenty little tubes, he counted. _Had that all come from him?_

"Hopefully, this will give me some answers," she said as she carefully placed a drop of blood on a new slide and placed it under the microscope.

Nathan wanted to say something to her but was afraid he'd startle her. So he decided to make a bit of noise to get her attention. He stretched and yawned loudly; perhaps it was a bit dramatic, but he got the effect he wanted.

She looked up from her microscope and gave him a smile. "Sounds like you're feeling better."

"Yeah, I am. It's better than I've felt in a long time, actually. My face even feels better, too." He nodded towards her medical bag, which sat on the foot of the other bed in the room. "Did you give me some sort of miracle cure or something?"

"Don't I wish," she said flatly, shaking her head. "I'd say it's more the fact that your body's fought off the virus you were given. And your face is probably the result of the antibiotic cream."

"Thank God; I thought that damned virus was going to kill me."

She laughed softly. "Well, you're very lucky it didn't. It very well could have."

His eyes grew wide. "What?"

"Sorry," she muttered. "It wasn't their intention. I know Alexander Bourne isn't exactly a saint, but he was telling the truth when he said they weren't trying to kill you."

Nathan shook his head. "They said the virus _wouldn't_ kill me."

"And it _didn't_ ," she pointed out, moving to stand at his side. "It was just a mutated influenza strain, so the odds of it killing you were slim." She sighed. "Unfortunately, I haven't found out much more than that in the time you've been asleep."

He nodded towards the blood samples. "Are those all mine?"

"Heavens no! I'm not a vampire, no matter what Ben says." She laughed gently and nodded towards the tray of blood vials. "Those are from the others as well. I was hoping I'd be able to get some sort of answers by looking at samples from each one of you. The only pattern I've found, besides some of you having the same blood type, however, is that you've all encountered the same chromosomal alterations. That doesn't tell me how to change it, though."

Nathan patted a spot on the bed next to him. "Well, you can't beat yourself up over it. Rome wasn't built in a day. Why don't you take a little break?"

"As lovely as that sounds, I don't think I should. I've still got so much to do."

"I think you're allowed to take a little rest, though, don't you?"

She moved back to her microscope. "I don't need one. I'm fine, really. As soon as I-"

A sudden knock on the door cut her off, and she moved to answer it.

"Dinner is served!" Larry announced proudly, pushing a serving cart into the room with covered trays piled on it. "I hope you're hungry."

Nathan's nose wrinkled slightly at the aromas coming from the covered trays. Ironically, it smelled good. Memories of his previous meals there floated back to him, though. The food was tolerable, but it certainly wasn't anything gourmet. He also felt Kristin had a more discerning palate than he did; the poor thing was going to starve if they planned on serving her what they'd served him. He simply stared at the tray, wondering what sort of culinary darkness lay beneath those innocent-looking covers.

"You feeling okay?" Larry asked him.

"Of course," Nathan replied, turning towards him and forcing a smile. "I was just wondering what sort of delights you've brought us."

Larry laughed softly. "I promise I didn't cook it, and it's better than what you're used to." He turned to look at Kristin. "Alexander told me to tell you that you must sit down and eat. Even though you're here to do a job, he wants you to feel comfortable and be able to relax."

She nodded gently. "Tell him that's very kind of him. I promise I'll eat."

"Just push the cart outside the door when you're through. And if you need anything else, don't be afraid to ask."

"I won't," Kristin replied as Larry left them alone once again.

Nathan held up a finger. "I hope you weren't lying to him."

She shook her head. "No, I _do_ intend to eat. I am a little hungry." She pushed the cart towards him and then moved to get a chair for herself.

Nathan shut his eyes tightly as he removed one of the lids. When he got the nerve to look down at the meal before him, he was surprised that it looked fairly normal. Roast turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, peas, a dinner roll, and even chocolate cake for dessert. He was definitely relieved it was nothing like the slop they'd served him before, mainly for Kristin's sake.

"That looks delicious," Kristin commented as she placed the chair on the other side of the cart and sat.

"I just hope it's as good as it looks," Nathan replied. "I'm worried it might be a trick."

She laughed quietly. "And why do you say that?"

"Because they up until now, they served me something that looked pretty awful." He shrugged. "Guess they got a new cook or something."

She removed the lid from her tray and took a bite. "Well, let's just be glad they did...because this is very tasty. It isn't a dream."

Nathan reached out and squeezed her hand. "Thank God for that."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

After taking her last bite, Kristin sighed happily and wiped her mouth with a paper napkin. "That was one of the best meals I've had in a while."

"I'd imagine you didn't do much eating while I was away," he muttered, looking her up and down.

She frowned, fearing a lecture was coming. She had missed Nathan more than he knew, and she was well aware that he cared for her and her well-being. But hearing about how she should have been eating was not on her high list of priorities at the moment. Yet she bit her tongue, not wanting to snap at him now. She simply nodded towards his plate. "If you're finished, I'll get this out of your way."

"As long as you promise you're going to rest now," he told her, giving the cart a slight push towards her.

She wheeled it out the door and then turned back to him. "You know I'd love to sit down and play catch up..."

"So why don't you?" he asked, his voice pleading.

"Because...because..." She turned her back to him, looking at the microscope and slides strewn about the coffee table and ran a hand through her hair. "There...there will be plenty of time for that later," she said quickly, moving to tidy up her work area a bit.

Nathan sighed in protest. "Kristin, please?"

She ignored him, continuing to organize the table. Feeling his gaze drilling into the back of her neck, she finally turned to look at him. "We're on a time crunch," she said gently. "Don't you see? The faster I figure this out, the faster we get home. That might mean I work longer hours now, but there will be time to rest later." She moved back towards his bed. "I know you're trying to think of me, but I assure you I'm fine. I'll sleep when I'm tired."

"You're already tired," he pointed out. "You forget I know you better than you think."

"You win," she said with a sigh. "I'm a little tired, but it's tolerable. It's not as though I'm not accustomed to working long hours. Also, might I remind you that the pill supply is limited, and there are four other people depending on those pills as well?"

He brushed a hand against her cheek. "None of what you said is going to make much of a difference if our doctor works herself into exhaustion."

She sighed. "I also promised the rest of the crew I'd bring you back safe and sound, you know. I need to work on this. I want to figure this out." She glanced at the clock. "How about a compromise, though? It's eight now; I promise to only work until ten, okay? Then the rest of the night, I'll rest; I promise," she replied, holding up a hand.

He smiled softly. "Nine-thirty would be better, but I can deal with ten. And then we can talk a bit?"

She nodded. "It's a date."

-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-

**UEO Headquarters**

The moment Frank walked through her door with Agents Reid and Collins and Dr. Downs, Andrea couldn't help but smile. "Come in, come in; have a seat, please." She suddenly realized she sounded a little too pleasant. _Cut the crap; you're not freaking Snow White,_ her inner voice warned. She took a deep breath and cleared her throat, this time being sure to speak in a more normal tone. "Thank you so much for coming here on such short notice."

"It wasn't a problem at all," Dr. Downs replied. "I actually was thinking you might not need us anymore."

"Neither did I, but we've changed our minds."

Agent Collins perked up. "Do you have another assignment for us?"

"Yeah," Agent Reid added, "we'll gladly go put the fear into someone else for you."

Andrea laughed softly. "I'm sure you would, but that's not necessary. Actually, we just want to talk to you."

The three exchanged glances with one another. "We? You mean you and General Thomas?" Dr. Downs asked.

"And the rest of the brass clued in on Project Kratos; they should be here anytime now," Andrea replied calmly, walking around to the other side of her desk and taking a seat on the edge. "You see, considering what we've learned recently, we've decided on a new plan of action. And we would very much like to share it with you."

At that moment, there was a knock at the door, and Andrea's heart nearly jumped out of her chest, she was so excited. But she had to take another deep breath and remember that this couldn't be rushed. She nodded to Frank, who moved to open it as General Leslie Mitchell and Admiral Anthony Lockwood entered.

"Have a seat, please," she urged, folding her arms over her chest. "Well, there's really no easy way to say this, but I thought you should hear it from me first...so I'll just get on with it. Captain Bridger and Alexander Bourne and friends are very much alive."

Audible gasps and questions followed.

"I...I know; I was just as shocked as you were," she replied. "And I was just as worried, until I found out that we don't have anything to fear." She paused, glancing to the newest members of the group. "I'm going to assume you know about the Macronesian Demons and why they began their quest of defiance?"

"'Course we do," Agent Reid replied. "They claim the UEO ruined their lives."

"Indeed," she countered, "but do you know _exactly_ what their story is?"

"I'm not sure they ever mentioned," Dr. Downs answered. "But I'm going to take a shot in the dark and guess it has something to do with Project Kratos?"

"Ding, ding! We have a winner!" Andrea said with a grin. "It took me some time to figure it out myself, but Bourne has always kept tight-lipped on the subject. I think his plan was to reveal it once he had us right where he wanted. I think our shutting down of the project stopped him from doing that, however."

"I'm a little confused," Agent Collins said. "What about those magic purple pills? Weren't they sent to all test subjects?"

"I guess they missed a few. I think we have to expect a little human error, especially when the subjects in question were thought to be dead."

"Wait a minute," General Mitchell broke in. "Subjects? You mean Bourne and his cohorts were...are..."

"Test subjects," Andrea said with a nod. "And they kidnapped Captain Bridger for revenge purposes. They injected him with...something. Dr. Westphalen from _seaQuest_ is there as we speak."

The general's eyes widened. "Oh...oh, gosh."

Frank placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's not what you think. Andrea will explain it."

"Frank's right," she said. "Initially, I panicked too. I had figured it was only a matter of time before the others caught wind of it all, and it would be curtains for us. But in speaking with Bourne-"

"You...you mean you actually spoke with him?" the admiral interrupted.

"Indeed, and he...he's as clueless as the others are. He knows about the program, obviously, knows the UEO was behind it...but he can't name names or faces. Anyone he did know who was involved is probably already dead. Dr. Westphalen, on the other hand, did witness a lab massacre, but I've made it clear she not reveal anything she's seen."

"And you think she'll listen?" General Mitchell asked.

"If she knows what's good for her, she will." She held up a hand. "I promise, I'm on top of it, but since she's elated that the captain is alive, she's more focused on that. We shouldn't need to worry. I, of course, have feigned innocence in the matter as well." She eyed the admiral and general specifically. "So you can breathe easy. You're safe." She paused and turned her attention to the doctor and agents. "However, I _did_ promise I would find the traitors and bring them to justice."

Dr. Downs raised an eyebrow. "A bit of the pot calling the kettle black, isn't it?"

Andrea couldn't help but laugh. Oh, how she was going to enjoy this. "That might be, but as far as the rest of the brass knows, I'm squeaky clean. And it's going to stay that way. As I was telling Frank, if there's anything we did right with the project, it was keeping everyone out of the loop just enough."

"Your point, Madam Secretary?" Dr. Downs said, her voice dripping with irritation.

 _She deserves a smack for her tone,_ her inner voice called, but Andrea resisted. Though it would have been satisfying, what she was about to deliver would last far longer than any blow. Andrea smiled softly. "The point is someone is going to have to take the fall. Once the rest of the brass knows that someone is reprimanded for the deplorable crimes against humanity, they'll all sleep better at night."

Admiral Lockwood pointed a finger to the other side of the room. "You mean-"

Andrea held up a hand, not taking her eyes off the doctor. "Last hired, first fired," she said with a smirk.

Dr. Downs lunged towards Andrea, but Frank grabbed her and held her back. "You bitch!" she spat. "You brought us here to take the fall for all of you! How could you?"

Agents Reid and Collins jumped at General Thomas in an effort to free Dr. Downs while Admiral Lockwood and General Mitchell moved to help him. Andrea had already expected something like this. She had NCIS on their way, though she hoped they'd be quick about it.

Once it seemed as though the agents were held back, Andrea saw her opportunity to dig the knife in just a little more. "That wasn't the original plan, but considering the new developments, it had to be done. And you...you were like innocent little lambs being brought to slaughter. It was just too perfect," she said with a laugh. "Look at it this way. If you play your cards right, I can lobby for a lighter sentence for you. But if you keep acting like an insolent child-"

"I won't go along with it." The doctor nodded her head towards the agents. "And neither will they."

"I admire your determination, but when it all comes down to it, which one of us do you think they'll believe: a person they've known for years, one that they trust, rely on? Or one they've only just met?"

"They're stupid if they trust you!" Dr. Downs cried.

Andrea shrugged. "Perhaps, but stupid runs rampant, even in high places." She raised a hand and began putting each finger down as she counted, "Five, four, three, two, one."

The door opened, and four NCIS agents rushed in.

"Madam Secretary?" Agent Martin Lynch questioned, his eyes widening when he saw the scene. "You said you needed some assistance here?"

She nodded and pointed. "Arrest these three!"

"Whatever she says is a lie!" Dr. Downs cried.

"We're innocent!" Agent Reid added.

"She...she's in on it," Agent Collins added, motioning to Andrea.

Andrea turned to the special agent. "We have an unfortunate situation here, and as you can see, they're in denial. We've just uncovered a bit of a scandal, and these three are at the root of the problem, I can assure you."

Agent Lynch and the other officers moved forward to subdue the accused. "What exactly are the charges, Madam Secretary?"

"Committing crimes against humanity. I can meet with you a little later so you can write up a full report. For now, you know what to do with them."

"Yes, ma'am," he said with a nod as Downs, Reid, and Collins were read their rights and led away in handcuffs.

Once they were gone, Andrea turned back to the others. "Now that should keep the rest of the brass out of our hair once they catch wind of all this."

_-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_

**Australia**

Kristin groaned when the test she'd been working on didn't yield any results. "I can't believe this," she muttered under her breath. She bit her lip, trying to decide where to go from here. She was running out of blood samples, and though she could easily get more, it wouldn't do her much good if she wasn't exactly sure what she was testing for.

It also didn't help that she could feel Nathan watching her. Larry had brought some magazines for him to read when he came to pick up the dinner dishes, but she knew that he wasn't really paying attention to them. She had to admit she couldn't blame him either, which was why she did her best not to be irritated. So much had happened in the past several days, it felt like they'd been apart for a lifetime. She knew he just wanted to talk with her, and she had so much to tell him as well, but sorting all this out had to take precedence. The rest had to wait just a little while longer.

She turned her attention back to her blood samples, wishing she had someone to consult about all this. _If only Neil hadn't..._ She shuddered at the memory and then shook her head in an effort to push the memory back to its hiding place. She then considered Joshua, which reminded her that at some point, she was supposed to call _seaQuest_. _Just another thing to add to my list,_ she thought with a sigh, as she she decided that he wouldn't be much help. It was also obvious anyone else was out of the question because all this was to be kept under wraps.

"Maybe I could tell a white lie?" she said, thinking out loud. She then shook her head. "Don't be ridiculous. It's too risky." She looked down at her notes. "But the way this sits now..." She ran a hand through her hair. "No, you can figure this out. You have to figure this out."

"I hate to interrupt the conversation with yourself, but..." Nathan quipped.

"I suppose you think this is rather amusing," she shot back, a bit angrier than she'd intended before bringing a hand to her mouth, wishing she could take it back.. "I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean..." She sighed. "I just... I can't seem to wrap my head around this, and you...everyone is depending on me. I think I bit off more than I can chew." Feeling frustrated, she blinked back tears. "What am I going to do?"

"I've been watching you go through those blood samples for a while now..."

She nodded. "I...I know; I'm just... I'm beating a dead horse, really. Like I said, I've figured out the fact you all have the same chromosomal alterations, but I can't possibly figure out how to reverse it. Not from this... I just...I don't know where else to go from here." She shook her head. "I've only just had a crash course in all this; I'm not qualified to-"

"You're putting way too much pressure on yourself, you know."

"M-maybe," she replied, her voice shaky. "But there's a lot at stake." She walked to Nathan's bed and sat next to him. "I really am trying."

He gave her hand a squeeze. "I didn't doubt that at all, but I think you need to slow down a bit." He brushed her hair back over her shoulder. "You're going to make yourself sick if you keep on like this, and you won't be able to help anyone if you do."

"But-"

He placed a quieting finger to her lips. "I am not asking you to stop yet," he assured her, nodding towards the clock. "But I was thinking...why don't you let me help you?"

Her brow furrowed. "You? Unless you know more about genetics than I think you do, I don't see how you can."

"Ah, but you can teach me," he told her.

She shook her head. "I don't have time for that. Are you crazy?"

"You're my doctor; you tell me," he teased, giving her a wink. "But I am serious. Maybe if you slow down and explain what it is you're trying to do, you'll come up with a new approach," he suggested. "Explain to me how they used the virus to alter our genes again; I'll be your sounding board. It's worth a shot, isn't it?"

Her brow rose in doubt, but she nodded and decided to trust him. "All...all right," she agreed, taking a deep breath. "Well, when you're dealing with the human body...if you want to change a mistake or improve something, you need a delivery system: live culture, hence the virus. You plug in the genetic mutation, infect the body, and the virus gets it to the target cells. But getting it where you want it, how you want it can be a problem, unless you're well-versed in viral-receptor mapping. You and your friends have had some very minor alterations to two different chromosomes. The pills allow for the temporary adhesion of these alterations."

"Wait...temporary?" Nathan asked. "So you mean we could stop taking the pills?"

"Theoretically, yes. But not you, not yet. Bourne and the others? Probably, but it would be a weaning process. I'm not sure there are enough pills for that, nor do I know if any still exist anywhere else. I...I haven't gotten that far. Once I speak with _seaQuest_ , I can find out if the other labs still have any...that is, if they still exist. I might be able to figure out the composition of the pills, but it would take more time than we have..."

"Wait a minute," Nathan said holding up a finger. "Think about what you just said."

Her eyebrows knitted together. "About what?" A hand rose to her mouth. "Oh...oh, dear. I forgot to tell you about the labs... I-"

He shook his head. "No, I knew about that...a little anyway. Bourne caught me up to speed on current events...somewhat." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "That'll be for later, but right now..."

She ran a hand through her hair. "You mean the pill composition?"

"No before that...about the virus," he told her. "You said that virus is the best way to cause chromosomal alterations."

"Yes...?"

"So can't you just create a new virus? You said you can use it to fix mistakes."

"Maybe," she replied, biting her bottom lip in thought. "But then I'd need something to help the adhesion." She shook her head. "It would actually be better if we had... Oh, my gosh!"

"What?"

"That...that could be it!" She grabbed the pill packet and looked at the manufacturer's location: Indonesia. "There's still a chance that... And with my security clearance..." She stood. "I have to go talk to Bourne right away."

"Kristin? Wait! Did I miss something?" he asked, catching her by the arm.

She paused. "I...I'm sorry. I promise I'll explain everything as soon as I'm finished, It's just... I promise it won't take long."


	22. Find It So Grim

**UEO Headquarters, Pearl Harbor**

Frank Thomas watched as the secretary general adjourned the meeting; the other brass members quietly left the room, looking more relieved than before. He lingered behind, however, sure Andrea needed to speak with him about something. She always seemed to, and even on the off-chance she didn't this time, _he_ had questions for her.

Andrea crossed to her vid-phone and hit a button. "Myra, I'm stepping out of the office for a little while for an impromptu meeting. I shouldn't be too long, but please hold my calls."

"Yes, Madam Secretary," came Myra's reply.

As soon as Andrea turned to him, his brow rose in question. "What meeting are you talking about?"

She didn't reply immediately. Instead, she smiled at him, her crystal blue eyes dancing with delight.

Frank tried to gauge her reaction, but he couldn't. For as long as he'd known her, he rarely knew just what exactly was going on in that head of hers. He suddenly felt his pulse quicken. "Andrea, I-"

She shook her head and clicked her tongue. "Frank, after all this time, I'd have thought you'd know how I worked by now."

"I...just didn't know about this meeting. Did I do something wrong?"

She placed a hand on his cheek. "Relax, Frank. You're not in trouble. I'm just surprised you can't figure out my next move."

His eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "You hadn't mentioned anything..."

"Do I really need to tell you for you to figure it out?" she asked with a sigh. "What just happened here?"

"Three people were arrested?" he guessed. "I thought we were done then. You sent everyone on their way."

"Because I know this is something I _need_ to handle on my own." She paused. "Tell me, what happens to our three friends now?"

"Well, I'd assume NCIS takes it from here."

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, but that's not what I meant." She tapped the side of his head lightly. "Think, Frank. _Who_ just arrested them?"

"Agent Martin Lynch?"

She nodded. "Who is involved in Project Kratos himself...but he still needs to follow proper protocol. So what does that mean?"

"Uh..."

Andrea sighed. "This isn't rocket science. In this country, when anyone gets arrested, they must eventually stand trial. But we can't have that, now can we?"

"No?"

She laughed softly. "You still don't get it, do you? If we let them go to trial, our good names get dragged through the mud, and who knows what they'd reveal about Project Kratos?"

Frank ran a hand through his thinning hair as he finally understood. "So you're going to nip it in the bud?"

She patted his shoulder. "I knew you'd catch on soon enough." She moved to her desk. "Watch and learn," was all she said as she took three purple pills from the pill packet that she'd gotten from Doctor Downs. She then placed them on a piece of paper and crushed them with the back of a spoon; after that, she emptied the contents into a glass and added a bit of water. After giving it a stir to ensure the pills had dissolved, she took out a syringe and filled it with the toxic concoction. She then held it out to Frank. "Could you hold this for a minute?"

He cautiously took it from her but continued to watch her in curiosity.

She reached into her desk drawer and pulled out a bakery box of blueberry muffins. "They look good, don't they? I thought I'd bring them a little piece offering as well." She held out her hand. "I'll take that," she said as Frank handed the syringe back to her. She then filled each muffin with a bit of the liquid.

"Are...are you sure about this, though? It seems a little...extreme."

A brow rose. "Don't tell me you're suddenly getting a conscience after all this time? No, it isn't too extreme at all. Would you rather I do something a bit messier?" She shook her head. " _Anyone_ who stands in our way is expendable. It needs to be done, and it'll be quick." She turned and moved towards the door. "Don't worry, I won't be long."

__-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_ _

_Was Andrea right?_ Frank wondered as he watched her go. _Was he suddenly getting a conscience?_ He thought for a moment.

"No, that's not it," he finally decided. "Besides, I can't back out now. If I ever did, Andrea would be stuffing one of her muffins down _my_ throat." He shuddered slightly at the thought, knowing he never wanted to meet such a fate.

He sighed. He'd thought he'd had everything under control until Bourne swooped in, and everything had changed in an instant. Now, Andrea was off 'handling' things, and he was suddenly the one being left out of the loop. He hated not having control anymore.

Oh, Andrea always was the one calling the shots, but he was always standing by her side, knowing the who, what, when, where, why, and how. Only this time, he'd been the very last to know. He frowned, wondering why. Why in the world hadn't Andrea told him what she'd been planning until now? He'd always proven himself to be loyal, always willing to do whatever she'd asked. Hell, he'd gladly have brought the poisoned muffins to the others had she asked. He had no qualms about murder, and she knew it.

He suddenly realized what he was feeling: hurt. He was indeed hurt that Andrea hadn't told him about it, and that was what was bothering him. The question, again, was why. He suddenly worried there might be more than meets the eye about all this. Perhaps the three soon-to-be-deceased agents weren't the only ones in danger of eating some of Andrea's muffins.

If that was the case, so be it, but he would be damned if he was going to be one of them. He knew full well that anyone involved with Project Kratos could get orders at any given moment, including Andrea herself. Frank Thomas vowed then and there to ensure those orders would not be against him. He'd wait for her to return and confront her. He didn't quite like being left out of the loop, especially when the project was in danger of going down.

__-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_ _

**Australia**

Going to see Alexander Bourne this late at night was not on her list of fun things to do, but this was a necessity. As soon as she knocked on Bourne's office door, Kristin suddenly felt nervous, wondering how kindly Bourne would take to her showing up at his door at such a late hour. Upon hearing approaching footfalls, her heart began racing, so she took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves.

Upon opening the door, he gave her a surprised smile. "Hello, Doctor. Is there a problem?"

"No... Well, not exactly, I mean." She bit her bottom lip. "Sorry, do you have a free moment? I have something I'd like to speak with you about."

He nodded and stepped aside to let her pass.

The office was small but tidy, with navy blue carpeting and grey walls. The walls were lined with file cabinets, and there was a bookcase in the far corner. Bourne sat behind a large wooden desk and motioned for her to sit in the chair across from him. "If you'll give me just one second..." he said, typing away at his laptop. "Admittedly, I was just finishing up for the night, and then I was going to turn in."

She blushed slightly. "I am sorry for showing up at such a late hour, but time is of the essence, like you'd said."

He typed a few more lines and then closed his laptop lid. "Indeed, and please know I'm not angry. So this is about the captain, I assume?"

Her mouth fell open slightly, somewhat taken aback by his demeanor. Why was he suddenly being so kind? "I'm glad to hear you're not angry, but..." She trailed off, unsure of how to phrase the question weighing on her mind: why the sudden change in attitude?

He laughed softly. "You want to know why I'm being so nice to you now?"

"Well...well, yes. Before, you'd said-"

He waved a hand. "I know what I said, but that was before I knew you could be trusted. And the fact you hold our lives in your hands is a bit of an incentive as well. I don't trust you completely, but there's one thing keeping you from trying anything stupid, and that's Bridger himself, am I right?"

"I promised I'd help all of you, and I meant it," she replied, looking him straight in the eye. "As long as you don't give me reason to retaliate, I won't."

"That's good. And if you are thinking otherwise, might I remind you that _I_ wouldn't hesitate to retaliate either, hm?"

"I wouldn't expect anything less, but you needn't worry, I assure you."

He nodded. "As long as we have an understanding. I just wanted to clear that up. So...what about the captain?"

"Not just the captain. All of you, really. You see, I'm not sure there's much I can for you do right now."

His eyes narrowed. "You'd assured me you could, and now, you're telling me it was a lie? What sort of idiot do you take me for?"

Kristin help up her hands. "N-no, it's nothing like that. Let me try to rephrase. With the way we stand now, I'm not sure there's much I can do to help. All I've discovered from the blood samples is that you've all encountered the same gene alterations. I can't begin to fix it without the proper _tools_ , and you know our resources are limited. Therefore, I was thinking... And I know it wouldn't be easy, but if you'll just hear me out-"

Bourne held up a hand. "Just get to the point, Doctor."

"We go to Indonesia and get more pills."

He raised an eyebrow but didn't speak.

"I...I don't mean _we_ exactly. I meant me...and perhaps one of you? Mr. Deon, maybe... You see, the pills are manufactured in Indonesia, and it seems to me if we get more, then the problem is solved...at least for now." She searched his eyes for an answer but couldn't quite gauge his reaction.

After a few moments, he shook his head. "Forgive me for saying, but I think that's a rather idealistic idea."

"Excuse me?" she asked, her brow furrowing.

"How do we even know more pills exist?"

"How do we know they don't?" she challenged. "Look, if this doesn't work, the other options are either trying to find out the pill composition in order to create more or creating a new virus in order to make new gene alterations to get you all back to normal...but that would just mean a new set of pills...not to mention a huge amount of time we _don't_ have. I know this could be a hit or miss, but this is, by far, the easiest solution. We need to try it, even if it's a lost cause."

Bourne's fingers peaked as he brought them to his chin, reflecting on what she'd just said.

"More pills would at least buy us more time," she added quietly.

He nodded. "While I'm not particularly confident there will be more pills, I agree with you about exhausting every option, starting with the simplest. How soon would you like to do this?"

"How soon could you arrange it?"

"Well, that's up to you. While I don't trust the UEO, Bridger says we can trust Admiral Noyce. Do you trust him?"

"With my life," she said confidently.

"You speak with him and see if he can secure a launch, and I'll handle the rest. Would you like to use the vid-phone now?"

"Please, if you wouldn't mind."

He nodded to the vid-link on the wall. "Go right ahead. I assume you know how it works," he said, standing up and moving towards the door.

Her brow furrowed in question. "You mean you're leaving?"

He turned back to her. "I thought you'd like some privacy...unless you need me to stay."

"N-no, I'm grateful. I just thought..."

"That trust thing, Doctor, remember? I'll be back in twenty minutes or so, give or take?"

She nodded. "That should be plenty of time, thank you."

"Again, just don't make me regret it," he said before leaving the room.

__-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_ _

_**seaQuest** _

Since things were running smoothly, Admiral Noyce took a few minutes to slip into the ward room and give Janet a call. He smiled when he saw her face on the screen.

"I was wondering when you'd call," she said.

His smile faded. "You heard? I didn't think the media had caught wind of it yet."

" _They_ haven't; Lucas called. He figured someone ought to tell me what was going on and knew you probably wouldn't have time to do it." She crossed her arms over her chest. "At least _someone_ took the time to tell me."

He searched his wife's face, trying to decide if she was being serious. "Janet, sweetheart, I had wanted to call. Things were just so busy, I-" He stopped short when he heard her laugh.

"Please, Bill, after thirty years of marriage, I'd think you'd know by now when I was really mad or not." She sighed. "I know how things were. Lucas told me everything."

"I need to remember to thank him."

She smiled. "Well, I think he may have had ulterior motives for calling me. He had concerns, but I tried to help ease his mind." After a pause, she asked, "How is everyone else taking it? How are _you_ taking it?"

"I should ask you the same thing." He shrugged. "It's a shock, but I'm...relieved. I'll be better once everything goes back to normal, but I'm glad to know my best friend hasn't passed away after all. You?"

"I'm happy, really. And I'm sure Kristin is ecstatic, though I've heard you let her go halfway around the world now. So much for looking after her."

"At the end of the day, she was the most qualified. Not only that, she wouldn't have taken no for an answer. But of course, she's as happy as the rest of us are. I know she'd taken it hard, but now that we know Nathan is alive and well, she seems in better spirits. Well, what I saw of her anyway. She is supposed to call sometime soon. I was hoping I'd have heard from her by now..."

Janet's brow furrowed in worry. "You don't think they're in any trouble, do you? They are in the company of some not-so-nice people now."

"I'm sure there's nothing to worry about," Bill assured her, though he wouldn't admit he'd been thinking the same thing. Since he'd let Kristin go, he'd been having second thoughts about the entire situation. And the fact she wasn't calling now... He shook his head slightly, trying to rid his mind of such thoughts, and turned back to his wife. "You know Kristin; she won't take any guff from anyone. If she's handled the likes of Rubin Zellar and Milos Teslov, she can handle Alexander Bourne as well."

"Be that as it may, I-"

At that moment, Tim O'Neill's voice came through the vid-link. "Admiral, I am terribly sorry for interrupting, but Dr. Westphalen is on a link from Australia."

Bill looked at Janet, who simply nodded her permission. "Patch it through, Lieutenant."

"I'll talk to you later," Janet said before blowing him a kiss and cutting her link.

When Bill saw Kristin's face, the first thing he did was search her eyes for signs of distress. Thankfully, though she looked a bit tired, she seemed to be well. "I was hoping to hear from you. How are things going there? Are they treating you and Nathan well? How long do you think it will be before we'll have you both back where you belong?" He felt somewhat guilty for bombarding her with so many questions right away, but they all just slipped out.

She didn't seem too upset with him, though. "We had a bit of a shaky start, but things are going...better than I expected, actually. As soon as I got here, I insisted Nathan be moved out of the deplorable conditions, and now he's mending well and in a very comfortable bed. As far as us getting back...that's part of why I'm calling. I've hit a bit of a wall, since I don't have the tools to be able to do much for Nathan or the others. However, there is an alternative, but we need your help."

"You know I'll do anything I can...especially if it means it will bring you two back sooner. What do you need me to do exactly?"

"Well, could you find out what the lab situation like...mainly the labs in Indonesia?"

"Indonesia?" he repeated. "Why Indonesia?"

"The pills they're taking are manufactured at the lab there, and if we had more, it would give us more time, which is what we need. But I don't even know if they have more...or if they've met the same fate as..." She shuddered slightly as she trailed off.

Bill knew exactly what she meant, however. They hadn't spoken much about what had happened at the labs or about the corruption within the UEO itself. Everything had happened so fast, there wasn't much time for them to discuss it. He didn't even know if there were more lab problems. Andrea said she'd handle it, but he was starting to wonder if giving the reins completely over to her had been such a good idea after all. He should have taken measures in order to find out more, he decided. "I am sorry to say I honestly don't know, but I _will_ find out."

She bit her bottom lip, nodding. "When do you think you'd have an answer? And if the answer is yes, we need a launch."

"You'll be going there yourself?"

"Yes...but not alone. Actually, Bourne mentioned he'd send Mason Freeman with me. I know it's not ideal, but it's-"

Bill held up a hand. "When the time comes, I'd like someone from _seaQuest_ to accompany the both of you, just in case. Give me some time, and I'll get back to you. What time is it there?"

"Nearly eleven PM," she replied.

"I'll contact you tomorrow then. It might take me a little while."

She nodded. "Thank you so much for your help, Admiral." She paused. "How is everyone? Lucas? The others? You?"

He smiled. "I'm fine, Kristin, and so are the others. We miss you, but I'll pass it on to everyone you called. Do you want to speak with them?"

"I do, but I don't think now's a good time. It's late and... Tell them I'll call soon.

"You're welcome. We'll speak soon."

__-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_ _

**NCIS Headquarters, Pearl Harbor**

When Andrea Dre walked through the front doors of the building, she was greeted by the secretary, a petite, older woman with short curly grey hair. She'd met her a few times before but couldn't remember her name. She honestly didn't care, but she knew she'd have to make niceties for a little while. She plastered on a smile in order to fake it.

"Madame Secretary, what a surprise. I didn't know we'd be graced with your presence today." She motioned to the bakery box in Andrea's hands. "And you brought muffins. How thoughtful."

Andrea had thought to bring two boxes of muffins, one with the special ingredient and untainted. "I thought you'd like a nice treat for all your hard work," she said, passing the box to her as she glanced around the woman's desk, hoping there was some clue that would give her name away. Then she saw an envelope marked 'Lorraine'. That had to be it. "Also, it is so lovely to see you, too, _Lorraine_. It's been too long. How are you?"

The older woman laughed, slightly her cheeks turning a slight shade of pink, apparently happy she'd been remembered. "Well, I'm just fine, thank you. And yourself?"

"Busy, but fine, thanks."

"Glad to hear it...well, the fine part, that is. But you didn't come all the way over here to ask about me. What can I do for you?"

"Well, I'm here to see Agent Lynch. Is he available?"

"He happens to be downstairs, but I can let him know you're here," she said, moving to pick up a communication device.

Andrea held up a halting hand. "No, that's not necessary. I can go to him." She looked down at the other box of muffins. "I wanted to deliver these personally, you see. He'd bought me breakfast recently, and I wanted to return the favor."

Lorraine's mouth fell open slightly. "I understand, but, Madame Secretary, downstairs is where our holding cells are."

"I am well aware of that, but I actually need to speak with the detainees myself. I've been down there before, if you recall. Not to worry."

Her brow seemed to furrow slightly in question, but she nodded a second later. "Of course, Madame Secretary. I'm sure it's not a problem."

The secretary general gave her a nod before walking down the corridor to the stairwell. As she neared the holding cell, she heard voices.

"Martin, please, you know you don't have to do this. You're one of us. Are you really going to treat us like common criminals?" she heard Dr. Downs say.

"Look, it's nothing personal," came Martin's reply. "It's just the principle, and I'm putting three kids through college right now. I can't really afford not to comply with the secretary general's wishes."

"So you'd rather save your hide over your fellow man?" Agent Reid asked.

"Don't put this back on him," Andrea said, moving to stand alongside Agent Lynch.

Dr. Downs narrowed her eyes at Dre. "She's right; don't kill the messenger."

Andrea smiled. "I'm glad to see you've had a change in attitude now." She moved closer to the cell, leaning on the bars. "It's all just business, like I said before. We could have you out in three to five...or even sooner."

Agent Collins perked up. "So you'd make sure we wouldn't be detained too long?"

With a wave of her hand, Andrea instructed Agent Lynch to unlock the cell. After he obliged, she nodded. "Of course I would," she said, her voice saccharine sweet, as she stepped inside. "I think we got off on the wrong foot, and I want you three to know how deeply sorry I am for that." She held up the box of muffins and handed it to them. "I thought I'd bring you a little treat, something to show how sorry I am."

Agent Reid accepted the muffins and took one for himself. "Thank you," he muttered before taking a bite. "These are good."

Agent Collins followed suit, but Dr. Downs wasn't so eager.

"Come on, Maureen," Andrea said. "Don't you want a muffin?"

"As if a muffin will make the fact you're putting us in jail all better," Dr. Downs muttered with a roll of her eyes.

For a split second, Andrea worried the special agents would expire first, leaving them to have to deal with Dr. Downs alone, but much to her surprise, the doctor accepted a muffin.

"This doesn't make up for it," the doctor replied between bites, "but it's a start."

"Glad to hear it," Andrea said with a smile before leaning towards Agent Lynch. "This shouldn't take long," she whispered.

He quirked an eyebrow in question, but Andrea didn't need to explain, since the muffins worked quicker than she'd imagined. Agent Reid dropped first, holding his chest before Agent Collins followed. Both men convulsed for a few moments before ceasing to move. Besides a slight trickle of blood from their nostrils, they looked almost peaceful.

Dr. Downs, however, had a bit of time to react, realizing the muffins had been poisoned. "I...I can't believe..." she muttered, approaching the secretary general with her hands stretched towards her Though Andrea had backed away, she could see the woman's attempt was feeble, since she was already weakened. The younger woman suddenly dropped to her knees, her body reacting the same way as her fellow agents, and then it was over.

Andrea heaved a sigh, turning to Agent Lynch. "Well, that was easy."

"You could have warned me," Agent Lynch replied.

"I'd told you I was going to handle it, and I did. I didn't think I needed to say much more than that," Andrea said with a shrug. "Or would you rather I have used a gun?"

"No, this was a better option, I agree." He paused and motioned to the uneaten muffins. "Are they all like that?"

"The ones upstairs are safe to eat." She nodded to the tainted ones. "I'd get rid of those before anyone else decides to eat one. You'll have to make it look a suicide of some sort, though. Oh, and get rid of the bodies, hm?"

"Don't worry," Agent Lynch replied. "I know what to do."

__-sQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQsQ-_ _

**Australia**

After informing Bourne that the admiral would be calling about the details tomorrow, Kristin made her way back to her room. She made a point to be quiet, in case Nathan had fallen asleep, but he was still awake. She gave him a gentle smile and walked towards the bed. "I'm sorry I ran out the way I did. I know you've been wondering what that was all about."

He returned the smile. "Yes, but you did promise you'd explain." He patted the bed. "So, what what was the big emergency?"

"It's just that I needed to speak with Bourne as soon as I could," she replied, sitting down on the bed. "You see, the pills are manufactured in Indonesia, and I thought if we could arrange a trip there, we could get more, and it would at least buy us some more time. It's not the most ideal solution; I know you'd rather have a permanent cure, but it's something for now. Anyway, Admiral Noyce is working on hammering out the details as we speak."

A brow rose. "My, you have been busy." He paused. "How are things on the boat?"

"Bill had said they were fine, but there wasn't much time for him to elaborate. Besides, he was more concerned with us." She sighed. "I really should make a call there tomorrow at some point. I'd promised Lucas I would, but things have been so hectic..."

"I'm sure Lucas understands. I'm sure the others are keeping an eye on him."

She nodded. "Oh, you're right about that. You'd be surprised at how everyone pulled together after you-" She stopped short, giving a shake of her head. "I mean... I shouldn't have... I'm sorry," she muttered, lowering her gaze to the floor.

He placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "There's no need to apologize. It happened, and there's no reason to pretend it didn't. I'm actually glad to hear the crew supported one another while I was away. If I had actually... Well, it's good to know you can depend on one another in tough times."

She nodded quietly, her gaze still fixed in the floor. Even though he was here with her now, the pain of the situation was still fresh, and part of her worried it was one of those cruel dreams she'd been having. Any moment, he could disappear, and she'd be all alone again. She swallowed hard, hoping to stifle them. The last thing she'd wanted was to make him feel guilty. She was sure he'd felt enough guilt as it was, and she didn't want to add to that.

"Look," he said, "I know it's been a long day, so why don't we just turn in and-?"

"But I thought you'd wanted to talk?" she asked, finally looking at him. "I mean, I... I think I'd like to talk, if you don't mind. It would be a nice end to the day, don't you think?"

"I do, but aren't you tired?"

"Not too tired for you," she replied. "Honest."

He smiled softly, placing a hand to her cheek. "I'm glad. I've missed so much. Where would you like to start?"

She bit her bottom lip, thinking for a moment. "Well, I suppose the best place is at the beginning, isn't it?"


End file.
